Canada will let lapse on Wednesday a ban on flights from Britain imposed last month after the discovery of a new fast-spreading strain of the coronavirus, Transport Minister Marc Garneau said.

"The ban on UK flights, which was going until midnight tonight will lapse. It will no longer be applicable," Garneau told a news conference.

In its place, Canada has announced that all incoming travellers will be required to test negative for the Covid-19 illness within three days of boarding a flight before being allowed into the country.

Upon arrival travellers will still have to quarantine for 14 days.

Since Canada halted flights from Britain on December 20 over the new variant, 11 cases have been confirmed in the country.

The new strain of the virus, whose discovery set off alarm bells worldwide, appears to spread more easily than other types but experts say there is no evidence it is more lethal or resistant to vaccines.

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