Germany to Extend Virus-Related Travel Ban for Non-European Countries

Germany plans to extend a travel ban for non-European countries until Aug. 31, government sources told Reuters on Tuesday, adding Berlin was also strongly advising against any cruises due to the special risks related to coronavirus.

The German cabinet is expected to approve the step at its regular meeting on Wednesday, the sources said, adding the blanket travel warning for third countries could be removed earlier for some countries with low infection rates.

Germany is set to lift a travel ban for European Union member states plus Britain, Iceland, Norway, Liechtenstein and Switzerland from June 15 as long as there are no entry bans or large-scale lockdowns in those countries.

This will open the way to separate pieces of travel advice for given regions.

Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said last week Germans would be urged not to travel to Britain, for example, when not essential as long as a 14-day quarantine for tourists was in place there.

(Reporting by Andreas Rinke; Writing by Michael Nienaber; Editing by Chris Reese and David Evans)- Reuters 

June 09, 2020