TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan's two major airlines will cease all flights to the U.K. beginning in January as a new strain of the Wuhan coronavirus rages in that country.

A new strain of the virus, identified as B.1.1.7, has reared its head in the U.K. and been found to be up to 70 percent more transmissible than the original virus that came out of Wuhan, China, last year. On Monday (Dec. 28), the U.K. reported 41,385 new COVID-19 cases, the highest single-day rise in the country since the pandemic began.

In response, both Taiwan's China Airlines (CAL) and EVA Air announced on Tuesday (Dec. 29) that they will be suspending both passenger and cargo flights between Taiwan and the U.K. beginning Jan. 1, reported CNA. Last week, the Central Epidemic Command Center (CECC) announced that in order to "avoid adverse impacts caused by the developments," the number of passenger flights between Taipei and London would be decreased by 50 percent effective Dec. 23.

However, after the first flight from the U.K. under the new restricted schedule, CAL Flight CI 082, arrived on Sunday (Dec. 27), five passengers had either a fever or other potential symptoms of the coronavirus. On Monday (Dec. 28), three were diagnosed with COVID-19.

Both China Airlines and EVA Air said that they would make a decision on the resumption of flights based on the situation of the outbreak in the U.K.