Qatar adds UK to Covid red list as cases surge in Europe

Qatar on Monday implemented its new red list for coronavirus measures, adding the UK and several other countries as cases surge across Europe.

The move comes just days after the World Health Organization announced that Covid-19 deaths have declined across the world, except Europe.

Last week, the UN health agency said there were about 3.1 million new cases globally, about a one percent increase from the previous week. Nearly two-thirds of the coronavirus infections - 1.9 million - were in Europe, where cases rose by seven percent.

The UK has seen 269,800 new cases in the past week, a 12.5% increase on the previous seven days.

Qatar’s red list now includes a number of Baltic and Caribbean countries, as well as Palestine, Syria, Turkey and the UAE, among others.

Travellers coming from the red list countries may still enter Qatar, but face tighter restrictions. Requirements for double-vaccinated travellers are less strict than for the unvaccinated, but all visitors will still need to quarantine upon arrival.

Fully vaccinated travellers will need to test negative for PCR test 72 hours before arriving the country and take another test upon arrival at their hotel, where they will need to quarantine for up to two days.

Unvaccinated travellers will also need to show a negative PCR test which must be taken 72 hours before arrival. They will have to quarantine in a hotel for seven days and take two further PCR tests - one on the day they arrive in Qatar, and another on day six.