ITALY has become the latest European destination to be at risk of UK quarantine restrictions as cases rise.
Brits have been able to visit Italian destinations including Venice, Rome and Florence without having to self-isolate or have a negative coronavirus test on arrival.
Once the epicentre of Europe, Italy, with 277,634 coronavirus cases, has seen a jump in new daily infections since the end of August.
On September 4, 1,732 new cases were reported – the highest since the beginning of May.
Countries are at risk of being put onto the quarantine list if the daily new cases rise above 20 per 100,000 population, over a seven day period.
According to Quash Quarantine spokesperson Paul Charles, using data from the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC), Italy is at 15.7, putting in the danger 'amber zone'.
France, Spain and Croatia have all been added to the UK quarantine list in recent weeks due to a spike in cases, while parts of the UK have restricted travel to Greece and Portugal since last week.
Sardinia has seen a jump in cases, with the younger population blamed for parties and nightclubs.
Testing facilities in Lazio in Italy have traced 800 cases in recent weeks back to the island, according to the Guardian.
Other measures across Italy being considered to slow the rate of infection include swabbing all passengers leaving the country.
Anyone leaving Rome would be forced to be tested, and anyone who is positive will be unable to board their flight, and will only return home when negative.
A health authority spokesperson from Lazio told The Times: "Before flying, people will stop off at our airport drive-in test centre and get a result in 30 minutes. So instead of arriving an hour before a flight you come two hours before.
“Our ambition is that everyone flies out with a ticket and negative result in their pocket."
Quarantine rules for passengers arriving into the UK could also change, and be slashed to just eight days amidst warnings that the 14-day rule is “strangling” the economy.
It comes as businesses and MPs warned Boris Johnson of the colossal damage done to the travel sector by the policy.
The Mail on Sunday reports that the officials are looking at the option of testing people for the virus eight days after they arrive into the country.
However, government sources stressed to the paper that no decision has yet been taken.
Brits have faced last-minute travel chaos as restrictions have been enforced with little notice.
Last week, holidaymakers in Portugal were given less than 24 hours to get back to Scotland to avoid the quarantine.
Other nervous travellers changed their flights, with one woman paying £900, only for England to avoid enforcing quarantine restrictions.
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