The UK has banned all travelers from South America, Panama and Cape Verde in addition to Portugal over the emergence of a new coronavirus variant in Brazil.

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps announced the move via Twitter on Thursday, saying the ban would take effect on Friday.

"I've taken the urgent decision to ban arrivals from Argentina, Brazil, Bolivia, Cape Verde, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guyana, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Suriname, Uruguay and Venezuela – from tomorrow, 15 January at 4am following evidence of a new variant in brazil," he announced.

"Travel from Portugal to the UK will also be suspended given its strong travel links with Brazil – acting as another way to reduce the risk of importing infections. However, there is an exemption for hauliers travelling from Portugal (only), to allow transport of essential goods.

"This measure does not apply to British and Irish Nationals and third country nationals with residence rights – but passengers returning from these destinations must self-isolate for ten days along with their households."

By Thursday, the UK had reported 3,220,956 COVID-19 infections with 84,910 deaths, according to figures from the Johns Hopkins University.

The country's caseload is the fifth-highest globally, only shadowed by tallies reported by the US, India, Brazil and Russia.

Its death toll is also the fifth-highest in the world.

The country has been battling new strains of the coronavirus, and has also previously imposed travel restrictions on other countries in efforts to curb a ballooning of its virus load.

The government has already rolled out a mass vaccination drive, hoping to give the jabs to 15 million people by mid-February. Priority is given to healthcare workers and the elderly.