Chaos at the ports and cut off from much of the U is.

The United Kingdom battles a new strain of the coronavirus.

France, Germany, Italy and Canada are among the growing number of countries to cut off travel to the UK, causing international visitors to rush to leave.

London France has shut its borders not only to arrivals but also to trucks from the UK, closing off one of the most important trade arteries with mainland Europe and forcing the government to stack trucks in Kent on hold cargo in a nearby airport.

This all comes days before the U.

K is due toa exit the use orbit, with or without a trade deal on December 31st.

The closure will affect the export of goods and the import of food for British supermarkets if, as expected, European drivers refused to travel on Saturday, Prime Minister Boris Johnson imposed tougher restrictions on more than 16 million people in England less than a week before Christmas, shortly after there was a dash to train stations as people try to travel home before restrictions came into force.

We have on this new, Johnson said.

The new variant was UM or infectious strain of the coronavirus, though added there was no evidence that it was more lethal or caused a more severe illness.

Very Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said Britain was simply seeing what was already at large in other countries.

We know already that the case is being found in continental Europe and other countries, including countries which have place travel Bans.

Thinking of the Netherlands, for example, actually have much higher case rates per 100,000 U.

K stocks fell to a near three week low on Monday and European shares have also slumped.

Hong Kong is also due to ban all flights arriving from the United Kingdom from midnight, becoming the first city in Asia to do so.