UK travellers returning from Italy will be forced to quarantine for 14 days from 4am on Sunday, the Department for Transport has announced.
Italy, along with Vatican City state and San Marino, will be removed from the UK's travel corridor list — although the Greek island of Crete will be reinstated.
It comes as Italy recorded its highest daily number of coronavirus cases on Wednesday, with 7,332.
This brings its seven-day rate of cases per 100,000 people to 64. The UK’s case rate currently stands at 166, according to data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control.
A rate of 20 is the threshold above which the Government considers triggering quarantine conditions.
Mr Schapps tweeted: "TRAVEL CORRIDOR UPDATE: We are REMOVING ITALY, Vatican City state & San Marino from the #TravelCorridor list.
"However, note that the implementation date is moved to 4am on SUNDAY 18 October & applies UK wide, if you arrive from these destinations you will need to self-isolate."
He also confirmed that people travelling from the Greek island of Crete will now no longer need to self-isolate from October 18.
"We are ADDING CRETE to the #TravelCorridor list this week.
From 4am Sunday 18 Oct, if you arrive from Crete, you will NO LONGER need to self-isolate.
"ALSO THIS WEEK, the whole of the UK is now aligned with our advice around all of the Greek islands."
