US CDC issues level 4 travel advisory for India over rising Covid-19 cases

US' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a level 4 travel health notice for India due to COVID-19, indicating a very high level of coronavirus infections in the country, informed US Department of State Bureau of Consular Affairs on Wednesday.

"US citizens who must travel to India are strongly urged to get fully vaccinated before travel and continue to take personal health safety measures to protect themselves, including practicing social or physical distancing, cleaning hands with soap/hand sanitizer, wearing masks, and avoiding crowded areas with poor ventilation," the CDC stated.

The CDC had on Tuesday issued travel recommendations for fully vaccinated travellers which stated: "If you are fully vaccinated, then do not have to get tested before leaving the United States, unless your destination requires it and you do not have to self-quarantine after you arrive in the United States."

The United Kingdom has already added India to its travel "red list" on a precautionary basis after reporting 103 cases of a coronavirus variant first identified in India.

The COVID-19 situation in India has been deteriorating amid the second wave of coronavirus infections. For the past few days, the country has been reporting in excess of two lakh coronavirus infections.