On Saturday, the UK government practically locked down parts of the country, including London, after admitting that more than half of all new COVID-19 cases had been caused by a mutated, more infectious coronavirus strain.

"The patient and their partner returned from the United Kingdom several days ago, landing in Rome's Fiumicino airport. They are now isolated and have observed, together with family and close contacts, all procedures proscribed by the health authorities," the ministry said in a press release.

According to the communication, the genome of the UK coronavirus strain has been established by experts of the Celio military hospital in Rome.