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People walk at Galeao International Airport in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on April 13, 2021. Brazil is listed as “Level 4: No Travel” by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Photo by MAURO PIMENTEL / AFP via Getty Images
The United States Department of State said Monday it will increase its “Do Not Travel” advice to about 80 percent of countries around the world.
“The State Department strongly recommends that US citizens reconsider all travel abroad,” the agency said in a statement.
At least 34 of the approximately 200 countries were already listed as “Level 4: Don’t Travel”, the department’s highest warning. They include Russia, Kenya, Haiti, Brazil and Argentina.
To reach 80 percent, nearly 130 countries would have to be added to that directive.
The agency said the move does not mean that it has reassessed the current health situation in some countries, but rather “reflects an adjustment” designed to rely more on the existing assessment from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“As always, we are closely monitoring conditions around the world and will regularly update our destination-specific advice to US travelers as conditions evolve,” the statement said.
Most Americans had already been banned from traveling to much of Europe because of COVID-19 restrictions.
With pole wires