UK 'ignores Covid threat' as passengers from China arrive without testing amid rising cases

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The United States, Italy, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan have all announced mandatory testing for passengers from China, after Beijing announced it would reopen its borders next week

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UK ministers have been accused of still ignoring the Covid threat as pressure mounts to impose travel restrictions on China.

The United States, Italy, India, Taiwan, South Korea, Malaysia and Japan all announced mandatory testing after Beijing announced it would reopen its borders next week after three years.

More than half (52%) of passengers on a China-Milan, Italy flight tested positive for Covid after the measure was introduced.

China says it faces 5,000 cases a day, but experts say reporting inaccurate data means the figure could be closer to a million, creating fertile ground for new variants to mutate.

And a passenger who arrived without a test from Shanghai to London today told how the virus is now rampant in the country.

Rubin Lou, 54, who lives in London, arrived at Heathrow Airport at 5.30pm on a crowded flight (

Picture:

Ian Vogler/Daily Mirror)

Rubin Lou, 54, who lives in London, arrived at Heathrow Airport at 5.30pm on a crowded flight.

The vast majority of passengers wore masks when exiting the airport and continued to take trains and taxis to their final destinations in the UK.

Rubin has a factory in the Shanghai area and therefore travels frequently.