WASHINGTON, Aug 10 (NNN-AGENCIES) — The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned against travel to Israel, France, Thailand, Iceland and several other countries because of a rising number of COVID-19 cases in those nations.
The CDC has been adding to its highest “Level 4: Very High” COVID-19 level as cases spread around the globe.
The United States added Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, along with other places, including Aruba and French Polynesia.
The US State Department also issued its parallel “Level 4: Do Not Travel” advisories for Iceland and France on Monday.
In July, the CDC had raised concerns about Israel, the West Bank and Gaza, lifting its travel health notice by two levels to “Level 3: High”.
The CDC also hiked alert levels to “Level 3: High” for Austria, Croatia, El Salvador, Azerbaijan, Guam, Kenya and Jamaica.
The CDC says unvaccinated travelers should avoid nonessential travel to those countries.
Coronavirus cases and hospitalisations in the United States are at a six-month high, fuelled by the rapid spread of the Delta variant across swathes of the country grappling with low vaccination rates.
Nationwide, COVID-19 cases have averaged 100,000 for three days in a row, up 35 per cent over the past week, according to a Reuters tally of public health data. Louisiana, Florida and Arkansas reported the most new cases in the past week, based on population.
Hospitalisations rose 40 per cent and deaths, a lagging indicator, registered an 18 per cent uptick in the past week.
The intensifying spread of the pandemic has led to cancellation of some large high-profile events. One notable exception is an annual motorcycle rally in Sturgis, South Dakota, which has been proceeding as planned.
Florida set a new single-day record with 28,317 cases on Sunday (Aug 8), according to data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
