France to impose quarantines for arrivals from seven countries including Pakistan

France has ordered a mandatory 10-day quarantine for arrivals from seven additional countries including Pakistan in a bid to control the spread of Covid-19, a government source told AFP on Friday.

Turkey is now on the extended quarantine list coming into force at midnight on Saturday, as are Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, the source said.

India, which has seen an alarming surge in Covid infection rates and deaths, was put on the list last month, only days after France also announced a ban on all flights from Brazil to stave off the P1 coronavirus variant.

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Arrivals from Argentina, Chile and South Africa also already have to comply with the quarantine requirement.

Arrivals from the countries on the list will also have to provide a PCR test less than 36 hours old, though this rule will be waived for the new additions over this weekend, the source said.

Passengers will have to provide proof on arrival that they have a place to quarantine, and will be allowed to leave that place for two hours every day.