Health officials did not notify an airline after more than half-a-dozen teenagers tested positive for Covid-19, it has been reported.

A story published by The Guardian this week said that officials had not notified Wizz Airline that eight passengers on a flight back from Crete had tested positive for coronavirus.

The teenagers, from Hampshire, were diagnosed after returning to London Luton airport on August 25, it said.

But the Department of Health and Social Care said that it had taken action to advise the necessary people to self-isolate and its contact tracing team had been in touch with Wizz Air.

Simon Bryant, Hampshire County Council’s director of public health, said: “While there’s no cause for the community to be concerned, it’s absolutely critical that anyone returning from countries on the quarantine list self isolates for the full 14 days to ensure they minimise the risk of passing on the virus.”

Elsewhere, holidaymakers are braced for new travel restrictions as Greece and Portugal could become the latest countries to be added to the UK-wide quarantine list.

Pressure is mounting on England to consider imposing quarantine rules on travellers arriving from Greece amid reports of people returning with coronavirus.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock said a decision on whether to impose restrictions on the countries would be announced on Friday.

Rising Covid cases prompted the Scottish Government to announce travellers from Greece would have to self-isolate for 14 days from Thursday, while Wales began asking arrivals from the island of Zante to enter quarantine.

The UK’s biggest tour operator Tui has suspended its holidays to the resort of Laganas on Zante.

But Greece has insisted it is doing “everything in our power” to keep UK holidaymakers safe.