Portugal and Hungary are to be added to England”s travel quarantine list, meaning arrivals from these countries will need to self-isolate for 14 days.
The measures will come into effect from 4 am BST on Saturday, the UK’s Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said.
The move came following “data showing a significant increase in confirmed cases” in these areas, the Department for Transport said in a statement.
The new measures will not apply to passengers coming from the Azores or Madeira islands.
French Polynesia and Reunion Island were also removed from the UK’s list of travel corridors.
Those arriving in England from Sweden will no longer need to isolate.
Public Health England reported a significant change in both the level and pace of confirmed cases of coronavirus in Portugal, Hungary, French Polynesia and Reunion.
Portugal has seen a consistent increase in newly reported cases of COVID-19 over the past 3 weeks.
The country has recorded an 81% increase in newly reported cases between August 26 and September 9, going from 1,464 to 2,652.
While data from Hungary shows a 192% increase in newly reported cases over the past week, with the number of cases increasing from 1,042 between August 27 and September 2.
Wales and Scotland have taken different approaches to England concerning travel corridor lists, which has caused anger and confusion.
Wales added Portugal to its quarantine list last Thursday, also excluding the Azores and Madeira islands, but Scotland chose to impose quarantine measures on the whole country.
The transport department urged travellers to “check the latest advice from the FCDO before travelling” and said they would “be required to fill in a passenger locator form before returning home”.
Spain and Belgium were removed from England’s travel corridor list in July, followed by France in August, which left holidaymakers rushing to return home.
The government reiterated its stance that it “will take decisive action if necessary to contain the virus”.