A British holidaymaker has tested positive for coronavirus while staying at a luxury TUI hotel in Greece.
The tourist, whose identity has not been revealed, was tested after landing in Corfu on August 3 as part of the country’s randomised screening measures.
But despite Foreign Office advice saying coronavirus results are expected within 24 hours, the result only came back four days later.
It means the Briton – who allegedly showed no symptoms – could have unwittingly passed the virus onto other tourists and staff staying at the resort.
Travel provider TUI has since contacted the 140 guests enjoying their summer break at the hotel, as well as all guests expected in the near future
When the positive result was given on August 7 the holidaymaker and their entire group were made to isolate in their room at the five-star Blue Atlantica Grand Mediterraneo Resort.
They were then moved from the hotel into a special isolation hotel where they must spend the next 14 days, The Mirror reported.
Travel provider TUI has since contacted the 140 guests enjoying their summer break at the hotel, as well as all guests expected in the near future.
Those who flew on the same plane as the infected holidaymaker have also been contacted, and Greek authorities could order them to self-isolate for 14 days.
The website for the Atlantica Grand Mediterraneo Resort boasts of ‘a truly luxurious retreat’ that offers ‘panoramic views over the Ionian Sea’.
The adult-only hotel has 270 rooms, and a seven night all-inclusive stay this month would cost around £2,374 for two people.
TUI confirmed the positive coronavirus result but said that no other guests or employees have reported any signs of illness.
A spokesperson told The Mirror: ‘We are in regular contact with the customer who is showing no symptoms and continues to stay in a designated quarantine hotel.
‘As soon as our team in Corfu became aware of this case, the customer remained isolated in their room until they were able to be moved to the specialist isolation unit.’
‘The hotel has carried out extensive cleaning procedures in line with government advice and guests can continue to enjoy their holidays while maintaining the hygiene precautions we have in place.’
When the positive result was given on August 7 the holidaymaker and their entire group were made to isolate in their room at the five-star Blue Atlantica Grand Mediterraneo Resort
TUI confirmed the positive coronavirus result but said that no other guests or employees have reported any signs of illness
Greece has so far confirmed 5,623 cases of coronavirus, of which there have been 212 deaths.
Although trips to Greece are permitted, the Foreign & Commonwealth Office is advising Britons against ‘all but essential international travel’.
Current travel corridor rules mean those returning from Greece do not have to self-isolate upon arriving back in the country – unlike those coming home from Spain.
In recent weeks the UK government has come under fire for changing travel advice which required people who return from Spain to quarantine for two weeks, devastating tourists looking forward to their summer holiday.
In recent days fears have escalated that the same could happen to those holidaying in France, but holidaymakers may now be spared quarantine despite a surge in coronavirus cases.
A review due to be completed today is expected to keep France on the list of countries that are exempted from the UK’s 14-day isolation rules.
TUI said ‘The hotel has carried out extensive cleaning procedures in line with government advice and guests can continue to enjoy their holidays while maintaining the hygiene precautions we have in place’
The adult-only hotel has 270 rooms, and a seven night all-inclusive stay this month would cost around £2,374 for two people
Hundreds of thousands of Britons are either on holiday in France or planning to go there, but yesterday it recorded more than 2,500 cases – a record since lockdown was eased.
And analysis has found that fourteen other countries also on the list have higher or similar coronavirus figures.
The UK updated its travel ‘green list’ on Tuesday, but did not take Portugal off the quarantine list.
In a blow to the Portuguese economy that benefits greatly from tourism from the UK, the UK Government was warned that cases in Portugal had not fallen fast enough to be able to safely add the country to the ‘green list’.
Portugal registered 120 new cases yesterday, down from 290 last Friday, but in the last 14 days, the cumulative number of cases per 100,000 rose to 24.6, its first increase in weeks, according to The Daily Telegraph.