UK's Raab: Makes sense to impose quarantine now infection rates falling

Outbreak of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19), in London

LONDON (Reuters) - It makes sense for Britain to introduce quarantine measures for travellers arriving in the country now that the reproduction rate of the coronavirus domestically has fallen, foreign minister Dominic Raab said on Monday.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced on Sunday that Britain would "soon" impose quarantine measures on people coming into the country by air. Raab said the measures would cover arrivals to both ports and airports.

"Now that (the reproduction rate) has come down and is still coming down even further, it makes sense to introduce it to stop ... reinfection coming in from people carrying it from abroad, particularly those who would not necessarily be showing symptoms," Raab told parliament.

(Reporting by Alistair Smout and Kylie MacLellan; editing by Stephen Addison)