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CDC: Keep away from journey to Hong Kong, New Zealand and Thailand

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(CNN) — The US Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention moved three high-profile locations to its highest-risk Degree Four class for journey on Monday.

Hong Kong and New Zealand have spent a lot of the pandemic in close to isolation with comparatively few infections and had been lauded as Covid success tales. Nonetheless, the Omicron variant has triggered large spikes in circumstances in each locations.

Hong Kong is late in taking part in out a now-familiar scene: Morgues close to capability, hospitals overwhelmed and supermarkets stripped naked by consumers. Hong Kong has tightly restricted journey because the begin of the pandemic and not too long ago suspended many incoming worldwide flights.

The spike is available in New Zealand simply as it’s starting to shift towards plans to open up its borders to pick out worldwide vacationers later this yr. It has maintained among the strictest isolation measures on the planet through the pandemic.

Whereas cases in New Zealand have not too long ago spiked sharply, the nation had logged solely 65 deaths over the course of the pandemic as of early March, based on Johns Hopkins College figures.

New Zealand has seen a steep rise in Covid circumstances not too long ago. Nonetheless, as of early March, the nation had logged solely 65 deaths over the course of the pandemic.

Adobe Inventory

Becoming a member of these two is Thailand, one of many crown jewels of world journey and the No. 1 Asian earner of tourism revenue in 2019. Thailand restarted its “Take a look at & Go” program on February 1, which permits vaccinated worldwide vacationers from all international locations to enter with out prolonged quarantines.

The CDC locations a vacation spot at “Degree 4: Covid-19 Very Excessive” danger when greater than 500 circumstances per 100,000 residents are registered prior to now 28 days.

To recap, the locations added to Degree Four on March 7 are:

• Hong Kong
• New Zealand
• Thailand

All three locations have been beforehand listed at Degree 3, thought-about “excessive” danger.

World case numbers have been declining since peaking in late January, however specialists warning that the pandemic isn’t over.

CDC: Keep away from Degree Four locations

London is a global tourism favourite and the most important metropolis in the UK, which has been at Degree Four since final summer time.

Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Pictures

There are about 135 locations presently at Degree 4. Whereas the variety of locations within the “very excessive” danger class has dipped barely since topping round 140 in February, there are nonetheless extra locations within the Degree Four class than in all the opposite classes mixed.

The CDC advises avoiding journey to Degree Four international locations. CDC thresholds for journey well being notices are based mostly totally on the variety of Covid-19 circumstances in a vacation spot.

The CDC doesn’t embrace america in its checklist of advisories, however it was color-coded at Degree Four on March 7 on the company’s map of travel risk levels.

Different vacationer favorites stalled on Degree Four embrace Canada, Egypt, France, Greece, Peru and Singapore. The UK has been there since July 2021.

In its broader travel guidance, the CDC has really useful avoiding all worldwide journey till you might be absolutely vaccinated.

Modifications at Degree 3

Mexico, with Bahia Principe seaside in Tulum pictured right here, moved down from Degree Four to Degree Three on Monday.

Rodrigo Arangua/AFP through Getty Pictures

Vacationers searching for some information that is trending in a very good path will discover it on this degree.

The Degree 3 “excessive” danger class — which applies to locations which have had between 100 and 500 circumstances per 100,000 residents prior to now 28 days — noticed six additions from numerous spots across the globe on Monday. They have been:

• Anguilla
• Cape Verde
• Fiji
• Mexico
• Philippines
• United Arab Emirates

All six had beforehand been at Degree 4. Mexico has stayed open to vacationers all through the pandemic. It does not have any vaccination or testing necessities to enter.

Ranges 2, 1 and unknown

On Monday, there was excellent news for people who find themselves dreaming of a visit to Africa.

Locations carrying the “Degree 2: Covid-19 Reasonable” designation have seen 50 to 99 Covid-19 circumstances per 100,000 residents prior to now 28 days. 9 locations representing all sections of the continent moved to Degree 2 on March 7:

• Angola
• Djibouti
• Equatorial Guinea
• Ethiopia
• The Gambia
• Mauritania
• Mozambique
• Namibia
• Senegal

Final week, all of those locations have been at Degree 3.

Africa continued to be a vivid spot with the Degree 1 class as effectively, together with the favored safari and cultural favourite Kenya.

To be in “Degree 1: Covid-19 Low,” a vacation spot will need to have fewer than 50 new circumstances per 100,000 residents over the previous 28 days. Eight locations moved to Degree 1 on Monday:

• Côte d’Ivoire (Ivory Coast)
• Kenya
• Lesotho
• Niger
• Rwanda
• Republic of Congo
• Togo
• Uganda

The one locations now listed at Degree 1 outdoors of Africa are China and Taiwan.

Lastly, there are locations for which the CDC has an “unknown” danger due to a lack of awareness. Normally, however not at all times, these are small, distant locations or locations with ongoing warfare or unrest. The CDC made no new additions to the class on Monday.

Tanzania, Cambodia and Macau are among the many more-visited places presently listed within the unknown class. The CDC advises in opposition to journey to those locations exactly as a result of the dangers are unknown.

A medical skilled weighs in on danger ranges

Transmission charges are “one guidepost” for vacationers’ private danger calculations, based on CNN Medical Analyst Dr. Leana Wen.

“We’re coming into a section within the pandemic the place individuals have to make their very own selections based mostly on their medical circumstances in addition to their danger tolerance in relation to contracting Covid-19,” Wen stated in mid-February.

“You need to interpret Degree Four to imply it is a place with a whole lot of neighborhood transmission of Covid-19. So should you go, there’s a larger probability that you can contract the coronavirus,” stated Wen, who’s an emergency doctor and professor of well being coverage and administration on the George Washington College Milken Institute College of Public Well being.

Some individuals will determine the chance is just too excessive for them, Wen stated. “Different individuals will say, ‘As a result of I’m vaccinated and boosted, I’m keen to tackle that danger.’

“So this actually must be a private determination that folks weigh understanding that proper now the CDC is classifying the completely different ranges based mostly on neighborhood transmission charges, and principally solely that,” Wen stated. “They don’t seem to be bearing in mind particular person circumstances.”

Prime picture: An aerial view reveals buildings from the Mid-Ranges space of Hong Kong on Could 25, 2021. (Peter Parks/AFP through Getty Pictures)

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