The German government added Belgium’s Antwerp province to its list of coronavirus risk zones on Wednesday, meaning that travellers to the region will be forced to go into quarantine upon their return - unless they can produce a negative COVID-19 test. 

Travellers from Antwerp must quarantine in Germany

A significant increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the Belgian province of Antwerp has prompted the German federal government to warn people against travelling there. “The trend in the number of new infections and new deaths has been rising again since the end of July, especially in the Antwerp province,” the Federal Foreign Office said in a statement on its website. 

With the number of new infections surpassing 50 cases per 100.000 residents, Germany’s disease control agency, the Robert Koch Institute, has declared Antwerp a risk zone. This means that travellers from Antwerp have to go into quarantine upon their return to Germany - unless they can show a negative COVID-19 test. 

Belgium experiencing second wave of coronavirus infections

At the height of the coronavirus pandemic in Europe, Belgium was registering one of the highest per capita infection rates, but nonetheless began easing lockdown measures in May. Cases are now rising once again - with the number of patients admitted to intensive care units doubling within a month - prompting the Belgian government to abandon plans to further lift restrictions.

Belgium is not the only country to have been hit by a high-risk warning from the German government. Last week three northern Spanish regions were also added to Germany’s travel warning list.