Copenhagen, Jan 9 (IANS): Danish authorities have raised the security level in its latest travel guidelines to "red", advising against all international travel and imposing stricter entry restrictions.

"From January 8 until January 17, the travel guidelines for the whole world will be sharpened from being 'orange' (all unnecessary travel is not recommended) to 'red', That is, all travel to the whole world is discouraged," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Friday.

Addressing a joint press conference later in the day, Foreign Minister Jeppe Kofod justified the tightening of travel restrictions as a way of "buying time" to vaccinate the population.

"Right now we are seeing new mutations of COVID-19 abroad. This is a very serious development and poses a significant risk... Today's package of travel initiatives is an expression of that," said Kofod.

According to Minister of Justice Nick Haekkerup, everyone residing abroad will in principle be denied entry into Denmark "unless they have a recognizable purpose" and a negative Covid-19 test taken within the last 24 hours prior to arrival.

The new rules are an extension of earlier entry restrictions previously applied upon the UK and South Africa following the discovery of more contagious mutations of the virus in both countries.

Denmark's Statens Serum Institut (SSI) reported 1,660 new Covid-19 infections and a 30 deaths on Friday.

To date, the country has registered 178,497 confirmed cases and 1,517 deaths, according to the SSI.