CDC urges US travelers against New Zealand, Thailand, Hong Kong

Federal well being officers are advising U.S. vacationers to keep away from New Zealand, Thailand and Hong Kong on account of COVID-19. 

The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention moved the three locations to its stage 4 COVID-19 threat class Monday on account of their “very excessive” COVID-19 ranges. The CDC advises all vacationers, no matter vaccination standing, to keep away from journey to stage 4 locations. 

“For those who should journey to those locations, be sure to are totally vaccinated earlier than journey,” the federal company says on its web site.

New Zealand and Thailand have eased entry necessities in current weeks, whereas Hong Kong prohibits entry from outdoors Higher China amongst nonresidents. 

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The three be part of greater than 130 different locations on the CDC’s listing of areas with “very excessive” charges of COVID-19. 

Bigger international locations are thought of to have very excessive COVID-19 ranges after they report greater than 500 new circumstances per 100,000 folks over the previous 28 days. Locations with a inhabitants of 100,000 or fewer should report greater than 500 cumulative new circumstances over the previous 28 days. 

Different adjustments to the CDC’s journey steering on Monday embrace:

• Anguilla, Cape Verde, Fiji, Mexico, the Philippines and the United Arab Emirates moved from stage 4 to stage 3. The CDC says unvaccinated vacationers ought to keep away from nonessential journey to those areas.
• Angola, Djibouti,  Ethiopia, Equatorial Guinea, the Gambia, Mauritania, Mozambique, Namibia and Senegal moved from stage 3 to stage 2. The CDC says unvaccinated vacationers who’re at an elevated threat for extreme sickness from COVID-19 ought to keep away from nonessential journey to those locations. 
• Niger moved from stage 4 to stage 1. The CDC says vacationers ought to be sure they’re totally vaccinated earlier than touring to stage 1 locations. 
• The Republic of the Congo, Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Lesotho, Rwanda, Togo and Uganda moved from stage 2 to stage 1. 

Observe USA TODAY reporter Bailey Schulz on Twitter: @bailey_schulz.