COLOMBO (News1st): Sri Lanka will temporarily bar the entry of flights from the UK starting at 2 am on Wednesday, the civil aviation authority has said.

The decision comes in the wake of detecting a new strain of the COVID-19 virus in UK.

More than 40 countries have barred flights from the UK upon the detection of the new variant of the virus.

Sri Lanka had suspended tourist arrivals since March 18 but has continued to allow repatriation flights to the country.

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