COVID-19 Warning: Americans Traveling to Mexico, Brazil, More Warned of 'Very High Risk'
Americans will have to reconsider traveling to Mexico after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) placed a new COVID-19 warning, labeling the said country as a "very high" risk.
With the new travel advisory announced by the CDC, Mexico, along with 11 other countries, was placed in "very high" risk Level 4 after six months of being in lower-risk Level 3, CNN reported.
Aside from Mexico, the likes of Brazil, Chile, Ecuador, Kosovo, Moldova and Paraguay were among the 12 countries and territories that moved to the Level 4 category. French Guiana also moved up to the classification, as well as the Philippines and Singapore. Furthermore, Anguilla and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines make up the 12 countries that moved up to "very high-risk" category.
"Avoid travel to Mexico. If you must travel to Mexico, make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travel," the CDC said in their updated advisory.
The agency also reminded the travelers who wish to visit Mexico and other nations in the Level 4 category that they are still at risk of getting COVID-19 even though their vaccines are "up to date."
CDC then noted that travelers should "follow all requirements and recommendations in Mexico."
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Us State Department Issues COVID-19 Warning on Mexico
Aside from CDC, the U.S. State Department on Monday also issued a COVID-19 warning for Mexico and other countries under the "level four: do not travel category," Reuters reported.
As of date, the CDC now lists nearly 130 countries and territories under the "Level Four: Very High" category. It can be recalled that the agency places a country or territory under the said category when more than 500,000 cases per 100,000 residents are registered in the past 28 days, as they advise travelers to avoid going to the country under the said category.
The COVID-19 warning from CDC and the U.S. State Department came as Mexico's Health Ministry reported at least 950,446 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the first 30 days of January.
To date, Mexico's accumulated tally on COVID-19 cases was reportedly 4.93 million. Of that number, under 268,000 were estimated as the currently active cases.
COVID-19 related deaths are also surging in the country, as Mexico recorded at least 6,465 who succumbed to the disease. The said number was a 25 percent increase compared to in December, but it is below the recorded death in January 2021 amounting to 33,000 deaths.
COVID-19 Warning: Other Countries on Their Travel Category
Aside from announcing the countries that moved on the Level 4 category such as Mexico, the CDC also announced other countries that were elevated on level 1,2,3 categories.
Level 3 is bestowed to a country when the destination had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000. Level 2is given to countries that had 50 to 99 cases of COVID per 100,000 residents. Meanwhile, Level 1 is issued when a destination sees fewer than 50 new cases per 100,000 residents.
Bhutan, Comoros, Guinea, Nepal and Oman are among the 11 countries listed under the Level 3 category. New Zealand was known to be under the Level 2 category, while China is listed to be in the Level 1 category.
This article is owned by Latin Post.
Written By: Joshua Summers
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