The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the State Department urged Americans on Monday to avoid travel to eight countries due to concerns related to COVID-19, including Lebanon, Spain, Finland, and Chad. The Centers also added other areas such as Bonaire, Monaco, San Marino, and Gibraltar to the "level four: very high" risk category. This highest level already includes around 85 countries, nearly all of Europe.
The U.S. State Department issued a parallel statement and raised the travel advisory level to "level 4: do not travel" for destinations that were not previously classified at the highest risk levels, including Spain, Finland, Chad, and Lebanon. Spain is one of the most preferred foreign travel destinations for Americans. The incidence rate of COVID-19 in Spain rose to over 500 cases per 100,000 people on Friday, surpassing the threshold that the health ministry considers "very high," and it has more than doubled since the beginning of December.
