The CDC issues a "do not travel" alert for four additional countries as COVID-19 continues to pose a risk to international travel

Despite the encouraging signs regarding COVID-19, such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) easing mask-wearing recommendations in the U.S., the pandemic is far from over.

For instance, the TSA still requires masks to be worn in airports and on flights. The coronavirus remains a significant global issue, evidenced by the CDC's addition of four more countries to its "avoid travel" list.

The CDC's Level 4: Very High risk designation for COVID infections, its most severe travel warning, now encompasses over half of the world's nations and territories. Specifically, 140 countries are currently advised against travel for Americans.

The newest countries added to the Level 4 warning are:

• Bhutan
• Brunei
• Iran
• Malaysia

There is a glimmer of cautious optimism in the CDC's weekly report. This marks the smallest number of countries elevated to the Level 4 status in a single week this year. Since January 1st, numerous nations and territories have been included on the list, largely due to increasing cases linked to the omicron variant.

As stated on the official CDC website, Level 4 classification indicates that travelers should "refrain from visiting these locations. If travel is necessary, ensure you are fully vaccinated before proceeding."

Countries and territories are classified as Level 4 when there are 500 or more new COVID-19 cases per 100,000 individuals reported over the last 28 days.

The CDC offers four tiers of travel advisories, starting from "low" risk and escalating to "moderate," "high," and ultimately its most severe warning, "very high." These ratings aim to assist Americans in making informed travel decisions during the pandemic, particularly now when COVID-19 case levels fluctuate significantly from one country to another. The public health agency strongly advises all travelers to be fully vaccinated prior to visiting any international destinations.

Following the latest updates, there are now more countries and territories classified at Level 4 than in all the other CDC categories combined.