The UK could be about to add France to its quarantine list amid a surge in coronavirus cases

• Brits visiting France could soon be asked to quarantine when they return to the UK.
• Boris Johnson's government has warned that it is prepared to tighten Britain's border rules amid signs of a second wave of the coronavirus across Europe.
• The UK government added three more countries to its quarantine list this week: Belgium, Andorra, and the Bahamas.
• It is keeping a close eye on France, where coronavirus infection rates continue to surge.
• There are an estimated 450,000 British tourists currently in France.

Boris Johnson's UK government has warned that British holidaymakers could soon be asked to quarantine when they return from France, amid a surge in the number of coronavirus infections in the country.

France is currently one of the countries where British tourists are not required to 14-day quarantine upon their return.

But the number of coronavirus cases has ticked up there in recent weeks, as it has across much of Europe, with French health officials recording 1,695 new infections in 24 hours on Thursday.

It marked the first time since May that infection rates have been so high in France, while the number of patients in intensive care has also risen.

Ministers are now considering removing the exemption from France, with UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak on Friday warning that travellers should be aware the current arrangements are under "constant review" and saying there was a "risk" of measures changing.

Asked about Brits currently in France and those planning holidays there, he told Sky News that it was a "tricky situation" and said: "If we need to take action as you've seen overnight we will of course not hesitate to do that."

It comes after Grant Shapps, the UK transport minister, introduced quarantine restrictions for travellers returning from Belgium, Andorra, and the Bahamas. The UK government previously removed Spain and Serbia from the list.

Travel experts warned this week that France was "highly likely" to be removed from the list of quarantine-exempt countries if authorities could not contain new daily infection rates within the coming days.

There are an estimated 450,000 holidaymakers currently in France, according to the Telegraph newspaper, with many thousands more holidays booked in the coming weeks, meaning any quarantine restrictions would represent a greater logistical challenge than in any other country.