The UK is considering whether to introduce Covid travel restrictions for travellers from China, after the country announced it would open up for overseas travel in January.

Sky News reports that China has rolled back on its strict zero-Covid policy, but with cases still going up, there is concern the virus could spread further around the world.

Several countries - including the US, Japan, India, Italy and Malaysia - are now enforcing testing on visitors from China.

When asked whether the UK government would consider restrictions for travellers from China, defence secretary Ben Wallace said: "The government is looking at that, it's under review, we noticed obviously what the United States has done and India and I think Italy has looked at it.

The Herald: Several countries will be screening arrivals from China for CovidSeveral countries will be screening arrivals from China for Covid

"We keep under review all the time, obviously, health threats to the United Kingdom, wherever they may be.

"I think the Department of Transport will take medical advice, talk to the Department of Health and they'll come to some decisions depending on what we see coming out of China, but at the moment it's under review."

Meanwhile, health minister Will Quince admitted that people "will be concerned by the news coming out of China".

However, he added: "The key thing to look out for is a new variant, and there is no evidence of a new variant that is not already prevalent in the UK - but we are keeping the situation under review."

BBC News reports that China is reporting about 5,000 cases a day, but analysts say such numbers are vastly undercounted - and the daily caseload may be closer to one million.

The European Union has responded differently to some countries, asking its member states to coordinate and roll out joint measures.

Its Health Security Committee said following an emergency meeting on the Covid situation in China that "coordination of national responses to serious cross border threats to health is crucial."

However, they clarified that screening of travellers from the country is "unjustified" at the moment.