Italy adds Colombia to its travel ban list.

Travellers arriving into Italy from Croatia, Greece, Malta and Spain must be tested for covid-19 as concern grows over new infections amid a recent surge of coronavirus cases in the countries in question, reports Italian news agency ANSA.

Italy has also added Colombia to a list of countries under a complete travel ban, including transit passengers, announced Italian health minister Roberto Speranza late on 12 August.

• Covid-19: Italy raises alarm over spike in imported cases

Health authorities in Italy are concerned about the return of Italian holidaymakers from destinations where social distancing and mask-wearing appear to have been widely ignored, according to Reuters.

"We must continue on a path of caution to defend the results we have obtained over the past months through sacrifices by everyone," Speranza said on Twitter.

• Travel to Italy: who can visit right now

On 12 August Italy recorded 481 new coronavirus cases over the previous 24 hours, up from 412 the day before.

Italy recently extended its covid-19 health precautions - including wearing masks in enclosed public spaces and maintaining interpersonal space of at least a metre - until at least 7 September.

Photo credit: MikeDotta / Shutterstock.com.

Ho firmato una nuova ordinanza che prevede test molecolare o antigenico, da effettuarsi con tampone, per chi arriva da Croazia, Grecia, Malta e Spagna.
Dobbiamo continuare sulla linea della prudenza per difendere i risultati raggiunti negli ultimi mesi con il sacrifico di tutti.

— Roberto Speranza (@robersperanza) August 12, 2020