Britons who are currently travelling abroad are being urged to return to the UK now.
A statement from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) said tourists and short-stay travellers should come home while commercial flights remain available.
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said: “Around the world, more airlines are suspending flights and more airports are closing, some without any notice.
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“Where commercial routes don’t exist, our staff are working round the clock to give advice and support to UK nationals. If you are on holiday abroad the time to come home is now while you still can.”
The FCO statement added that international travel is increasingly becoming more difficult – with borders closing, countries stopping people from leaving, and further restrictions being introduced on a daily basis,
The government has called for action to keep air routes open for a sufficient period of time to enable international travellers to return on commercial flights.
However, some British tourists abroad have already experienced difficulty returning to the UK because of restrictions.
Last week, the FCO announced “an unprecedented change” in travel advice – urging against all but essential international travel for 30 days.
In the UK, the death toll hit 336 on Monday as the World Health Organisation (WHO) warned the global pandemic is “accelerating”.
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