Advertisement
Canada markets open in 8 hours 36 minutes
  • S&P/TSX

    21,837.18
    -12.02 (-0.06%)
     
  • S&P 500

    5,149.42
    +32.33 (+0.63%)
     
  • DOW

    38,790.43
    +75.63 (+0.20%)
     
  • CAD/USD

    0.7380
    -0.0009 (-0.12%)
     
  • CRUDE OIL

    82.58
    -0.14 (-0.17%)
     
  • Bitcoin CAD

    88,342.34
    -4,448.05 (-4.79%)
     
  • CMC Crypto 200

    885.54
    0.00 (0.00%)
     
  • GOLD FUTURES

    2,163.10
    -1.20 (-0.06%)
     
  • RUSSELL 2000

    2,024.74
    -14.58 (-0.72%)
     
  • 10-Yr Bond

    4.3400
    0.0000 (0.00%)
     
  • NASDAQ futures

    18,183.50
    -48.00 (-0.26%)
     
  • VOLATILITY

    14.33
    -0.08 (-0.56%)
     
  • FTSE

    7,722.55
    -4.87 (-0.06%)
     
  • NIKKEI 225

    39,749.40
    +9.00 (+0.02%)
     
  • CAD/EUR

    0.6787
    -0.0005 (-0.07%)
     

UPDATE 1-Italy lifts COVID quarantine for EU, UK and Israel from Sunday

(Adds details and background, pvs dateline MILAN)

ROME, May 14 (Reuters) - Italy will scrap mandatory quarantine from Sunday for visitors from the European Union, Britain and Israel who test negative for COVID-19, the government said on Friday as it looks to give summer tourism a boost.

With vaccine roll-outs picking up pace in the EU, more countries are looking to ease travel curbs and restrictions on the hospitality sector to help it recover from the pandemic.

"We have been waiting for this move for a long time and it anticipates a Europe-wide travel pass," Tourism Minister Massimo Garavaglia.

ADVERTISEMENT

The EU plans to start a unified system recording COVID-19 vaccinations, tests and recovery from June to allow more movement.

People entering Italy from these countries have so far been requested to quarantine for five days and test both before arrival as well as at the end of their isolation period.

Quarantine for other countries, including the United States, is longer.

Entry restrictions on those coming from Brazil will remain in place, the health ministry said.

The government also extended the so-called COVID-tested flights to cover some destinations in Canada, Japan and the United Arab Emirates. There will be no quarantine for those who test negative upon arrival on these routes, as well as on certain flights to Rome, Milan, Naples and Venice.

Although asked to supply a negative swab before travelling, passengers of these flights will be tested upon arrival and, if negative, exempted from quarantine.

Travel between Italy and much the rest of the world has been severely restricted for months as the government sought to contain resurgent coronavirus infections.

However, cases have declined steadily in recent weeks thanks in part to an increasingly effective vaccination campaign.

The national health institute (ISS) said on Friday the "R" reproduction number had fallen to 0.86 from 0.89 a week earlier. An "R" rate above 1 indicates that infections will grow exponentially.

Italy has recorded nearly 124,000 deaths due to coronavirus, the second-highest number in Europe after Britain. As of Monday, 19 of Italy's 20 regions will be designated as "low-infection" zones and only one as a "medium-risk" one.

Prime Minister Mario Draghi's government is also due to discuss on Monday easing or abolishing Italy's nationwide 10 p.m. curfew. (Reporting by Maria Pia Quaglia and Angelo Amante, editing by Giulia Segreti and Gabriela Baczynska)