Is THIS the data that will sentence Spain to No10's 'amber-plus' list? Almost 3% of all travellers returning from the holiday hotspot are now testing positive for Covid - with rate having TRIPLED since the end of June

Covid positivity rates among travellers returning from Spain have almost tripled since the end of June, according to official data that ministers could use to slap the holiday hotspot with tougher quarantine rules.

More than 70,000 people flew into England from Spain over the first three weeks of July and 2,065 of them tested positive — a rate of 2.9 per cent. For comparison, the figure stood at just 0.9 per cent throughout June.

The latest NHS Test and Trace statistics will be fed into No10, which Whitehall insiders say is already considering imposing stricter rules on Spain.

The Government is set to update its travel quarantine list next week and there are hopes dozens more destinations will be placed on the green and amber lists.

But if the Government decides to push the panic button in the face of soaring rates among Spanish travellers, it could see the nation placed in the amber-plus bracket, meaning all arrivals would have to isolate for 10 days upon return — even if they've been fully vaccinated.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab today warned there are no 'cast-iron guarantees' that Spain will stay quarantine-free for vaccinated Brits.

Putting the country under tougher travel quarantine rules would wreck thousands of families' holidays, and force many to try to fly home early from their sun-seeking breaks.

As it stands, France is the only country on the amber-plus list but questions have been asked about what ministers used to reach that 'incomprehensible' decision.

The Government warned of the persistent presence of the 'Beta' variant to justify the move. And Mr Raab today admitted France was put in the tougher category because of high rates on Reunion island, situated in the Indian Ocean — 6,000 miles (9,600km) from Paris.

The mutant strain is even more dominant in Spain, where infections are also higher. Health officials are said to be 'getting very jumpy' about Spain's situation with the strain, which emerged in South Africa and is thought to be more resistant to the AstraZeneca vaccine given to millions in the UK.

The proportion of infected travellers flying back from Spain stands at 2.9 per cent, up from 0.6 per cent three weeks earlier. But positivity rates among travellers are higher from 11 other countries, with 11.1 per cent of those coming to England from Jersey having the virus. But the highest number of infected people came from Spain (2,065) - four times higher than the second-highest country Greece

The positivity rate among people coming to England from Spain has skyrocketed in the last three weeks to 2.9 per cent. Infection rates among the group had been between 0.6 and 1 per cent since February

RETURNING TO ENGLAND: The rules for red, amber and green list countries

You should not travel to red list countries or territories.

If you have been in a country or territory on the red list in the last 10 days you will only be allowed to enter the UK if you are a British or Irish National, or you have residence rights in the UK.

You will have to follow a strict set of rules even if you are fully vaccinated.

Upon arrival in England:

From July 19, fully vaccinated British arrivals from an amber list country have not had to quarantine after touching down in the UK.

From Monday at 4am, the right to skip self-isolation will extend to visitors from Europe and the US who have received both jabs.

Arrivals still have to take a private PCR or lateral flow test in the three days before the service on which you will arrive in England departs.

Before landing in England, you must also book and pay for day two and day eight Covid-19 tests, to be taken after your arrival.

You must take a PCR or lateral flow test three days before departure and, before leaving, book and pay for a day two Covid test to be taken after arrival in England. You need to also complete a passenger locator form.

With the aim of getting holidays going again this summer with the pandemic still raging on, ministers adopted a traffic light travel policy saying the time had come to take advantage of being one of the world's most vaccinated countries.

Decisions on which countries appear on which list are made by ministers, based on advice provided by the Joint Biosecurity Centre — part of the UK's Health Security Agency.

The lists are reviewed every three weeks but all countries are assumed to be amber.

Brits are warned against travelling to countries on the red list, which have rapidly-growing outbreaks or are being hit hard by troublesome variants.

There are currently 147 countries on the amber list and just a just 28 far-flung destinations on the green list, including Iceland and Barbados.

Spain has been on the amber list ever since foreign holidays were given the green light again when the Government eased restrictions in May.

As a result, the number of people flying into England from Spain has been nearly doubling every few weeks.

But the rate of travellers infected with the virus has also increased nearly five-fold in recent weeks, from 0.6 per cent between the end of April and mid-May to 2.9 per cent during the first three weeks of July.

For comparison, official data suggests the test positivity rate for England is in the region of 1.3 per cent.

Following Spain, the most Covid cases were imported from Greece (344), followed by Portugal (217), France (205), the US (164) and Italy (147).

But travellers from Spain still do not have the highest infection rate on nations on the amber list, with 11.1 per cent of those flying in from Jersey testing positive.

Rates were similarly high for travellers coming in from Yemen (8.3 per cent), Uzbekistan (7.9 per cent) and Kyrgyzstan (7.7 per cent) — but barely anyone is flying in from those countries.

Meanwhile, France has a positivity rate of just 0.8 per cent among arrivals. Its rate has also doubled since the end of June — but is still only a fraction of the figure in Spain.

Separate data that adds to the confusion over the move shows France is currently recording 270 cases per million people every day, which is half of the rate seen in Spain (551).

But despite figures suggesting Spain's Covid situation is currently worse than France's, any move to add the country to the amber-plus list will provoke a row within Government.

Although there is concern about the Beta variant, many experts believe it is being 'crowded out' by the more virulent Delta variant now spreading rapidly across Spain.

The shock move to place France in its own category earlier this month wrecked thousands of families' holidays as well as the plans of many expats hoping to see loved ones for the first time since the start of the pandemic.

Cases of the Delta variant have fallen sharply in France in recent weeks and ministers are confident it will be restored to the same status as other amber list countries, meaning fully vaccinated travellers will no longer have to quarantine when they return.

Asked about the possibility of Spain going on an 'amber watchlist' — with the possibility of it moving straight to the red category — Mr Raab said: 'I can't rule things that the JBC and the government will decide, but they'll make that decision next week in terms of the traffic light system for all the relevant countries.'

Mr Raab said the 'momentum forward is positive' with the high proportion of Britons who are double-jabbed.

'We've done the job we had to do domestically, and as we see other countries catch up if you like, I think we're increasingly confident that more countries will go on either on amber or onto green,' he said.

Pushed for advice to would-be holidaymakers, Mr Raab said 'you'll know next week'.

He suggested if the need to book immediately they will 'have to base it on the traffic light system we've got in place right now'.

'We can't give cast iron guarantees about what the next review system will decide. If we did it wouldn't be a very meaningful review system,' he added.

Meanwhile, French minister Clement Beaune has slammed the decision to keep quarantine measures for vaccinated travellers coming from France to the UK, while other EU countries and the US are exempted.

'It's excessive, and it's frankly incomprehensible on health grounds ... It's not based on science and discriminatory towards the French,' Mr Beaune told LCI TV.

'I hope it will be reviewed as soon as possible, it's just common sense.'

Mr Beaune said France was not planning tit-for-tat measures 'for now'.

The Government announced yesterday that people in the EU and US who are double jabbed will not need to isolate on arrival to the UK from Monday morning. Until then, only people who were fully immunised in the UK can avoid quarantine.

Professor Lawrence Young, a virologist at the University of Warwick, told MailOnline: 'The original rationale for placing France on the amber-plus list was based on concerns about levels of beta virus infection - odd because Spain has had higher levels!

'I think we should be taking a more cautious approach and not completely drop the need for travellers to quarantine.

'Important to recognise that previous waves of infection in the UK have been fuelled by travellers bringing virus variants infection back with them.

'There is now more evidence that fully vaccinated individuals can get reinfected and spread the virus.

'So monitoring levels of infection with different virus variants in different countries and using this information to make decisions about testing and isolating arrivals into the UK needs to be carefully considered.'

The great quarantine escape: Couple who were 'held against their will' at Heathrow airport hotel on returning from Turkey with just a doctor's note claiming they were 'medically exempt' reveal they BROKE OUT at 3am

Lisa Marcelle, 56, and Ricky Cassidy, 58, from Wiltshire, had flown out to Turkey hassle-free on May 1st, so Ricky could get an emergency dental operation and were due to travel back a week later - on May 8th. Pictured, in Turkey

A couple who flew to Turkey for an emergency dental operation and claim they were held against their will at Heathrow airport hotel on returning from Turkey with just a doctor's note saying they were 'medically exempt' have told how they broke out at 3am.

Lisa Marcelle, 56, and Ricky Cassidy, 58, from Wiltshire, flew out to Turkey on 1st May so that he could get an emergency dental operation.

They were given a medical exemption certificate by a Turkish doctor, which they hoped would mean they wouldn't have to quarantine on their arrival at Heathrow.

However, the couple didn't apply properly for a quarantine exemption and turned up with just the letter, believing it would cover them.

On arrival, Lisa and Ricky claim they were told they had to stay for 10 days at the Renaissance Hotel near the airport, and claim they were escorted there on a shuttle bus by armed police.

After spending one night in the hotel and taking legal advice, Lisa has revealed how they brazenly broke out of the facility simply by walking past the security guards with an air of confidence.

Weeks later, Lisa claims they have heard nothing further from any authorities.

The couple originally flew to Turkey on 1st May and were due to return to the UK a week later on 8th.

But, after having problems with completing passenger locator forms due to there being no internet available at the airport, and because Turkey had just gone onto the 'red list', they were turned away at the gate.

They returned again later after booking flights via the Netherlands but were told by Turkish airline staff that the Netherlands were no longer accepting British citizens and they were turned away again.

All arrivals from the UK over 12 must present either a negative Covid-19 test taken within 72 hours of travelling, or proof of being fully vaccinated at least 14 days before departure.

The NHS Covid Pass - which you can get on the NHS app or by ordering a physical copy online - counts as evidence of vaccination status.

You must also fill in a health control form no more than 48 hours before leaving for Spain.

You can enter France from the UK if you provide either proof that you are fully vaccinated or a 'sworn statement' attesting to this.

Double-jabbed travellers no longer need to provide proof of a negative PCR or antigen test result.

Minors travelling with fully vaccinated adults do not need to self-isolate, but children aged 11 to 17 must show a negative test result.

People who are not fully vaccinated will only be allowed in for essential reasons. In these cases, over-12s must show a negative PCR or antigen test taken less than 24 hours beforehand and agree to seven days' isolation.

Self-administered tests are not allowed.

All British visitors have to self-isolate for five days upon arrival in Italy as part of a requirement that will stay in place until at least July 30.

You must also:

Children under six are excused from these requirements.

Travellers to mainland Portugal from the UK must quarantine for 14 days unless you can prove you are fully vaccinated.

Children aged 12 to 17 travelling with double-jabbed parents do not have to quarantine but must provide a negative PCR or antigen test result.

Children aged 11 are under are excused from the quarantine and testing requirements.

People over 12 must also compete a passenger locator form and prepare to be temperature checked upon arrival.

Adult travellers must be fully vaccinated, while children aged 5 to 11 will need to show evidence of a negative PCR test carried out within 72 before arrival. Under-fives are exempt.

Children aged 12 to 17 must also be fully vaccinated, but the UK is not currently providing jabs to this age group.

The NHS Covid Pass counts as evidence of vaccination status, while NHS letters will be accepted if you live in Scotland.

Adults do not have to carry out a PCR test, but must complete a passenger locator form and public health declaration prior to travel. This will then be shown to officials upon arrival.

People enjoy the sun and the warm weather at the Playa Segur de Calafell Beach in Calafell, Spain, earlier this month. The country is the most popular foreign destination for British tourists

Sickening moment maskless 'Karen' COUGHS in the face of grocery store customer, then claims she doesn't have to wear a mask because she 'isn't sick'

A woman was captured on camera following a customer through a supermarket as she coughs on her after claiming she does not need a mask because she is not sick. Video of the incident, which has garnered hundreds of thousands of views on Twitter alone, allegedly took place in a Su per Saver in Lincoln, Nebraska according to Twitter user @davenewworld_2. In it, an unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of the customer recording her. Scroll down for video An unidentified woman was captured dramatically coughing as she smiles saying 'Excuse me! I'm coming through' in the direction of a woman recording her A woman was captured on camera following a customer as she coughs on her in a supermarket without a mask on claiming she does not need one because she is not sick @chaiteabugz #karen #covid #karens #karensgonewild #karensalert #masks we were just wearing a mask at the store. ¿ o

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