A 24-hour travel ban was announced on Sunday after news of a highly contagious coronavirus mutation in the UK.

The government has since decided to extend the travel ban until 3 January, ministry spokeswoman Dany Frank confirmed to Delano.

The travel ban does not include cargo flights and some exceptions apply, for example air ambulance services.

During a press conference on 21 December, prime minister Xavier Bettel said that the transport ministry was working on a new testing concept for Luxembourg’s airport to account for the holiday period.

A picture published on social media on Sunday showed an over-crowded departure hall after a flight to Portugal had been overbooked. Police had to ensure distancing among passengers.

Luxembourg is one of around 40 countries to halt direct connections with the UK over virus fears. EU countries are meeting in Brussels on Monday to discuss a coordinated response.

The UK’s health secretary Matt Hancock warned that the new variant of the coronavirus was getting “out of control”. The mutation is more transmissible although there is no evidence that it leads to more severe illness and it should react to the recently developed vaccines.

A statement by the transport ministry is forthcoming, the spokeswoman said.