US issues travel advisories for Spain, Portugal amid rise in COVID-19 cases

The US State Department warned citizens against travelling to Spain, Portugal, Cyprus and Kyrgyzstan amid rise in Delta variant cases.

The US administration has restricted travel for citizens belonging to the European Union, Britain and China and added other countries where the virus cases have increased.

However, the EU last month had reopened its borders for travellers from the US allowing proof of vaccination or negative tests to enter as President Biden said he would look into the issue of reciprocity.

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The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had raised travel advisory to "Level Four: Very High"  for Spain, Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan and Portugal even as the State Department issued "Do Not Travel" advisories.

"We will maintain existing travel restrictions at this point," White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said, adding, "The more transmissible Delta variant is spreading both here and around the world.".

Portugal has been witnessing a surge in coronavirus cases with capital Lisbon and the southern Algarve tourist region being the hardest hit with intensive care patients rising as authorities moved to close restaurants and bars.

However recent reports said COVID-19 cases have been ebbing after the government had designated at least 60 municipalities as high-risk zones with the Delta variant spreading rapidly.

Authorities had imposed night curfew in Lisbon including in Porto and Albufeira and made work from home compulsory. The country had reported new COVID-19 cases among younger and unvaccinated adults.

Spain had witnessed a similar trend amid rising Delta variant cases as the infection rose to 4.3 million with the northeastern region of Catalonia being the hardest hit as night curfew was imposed to curb the spread of the virus.

Germany had designated Spain as an area with a high incidence of coronavirus requiring unvaccinated travellers to quarantine for at least five days.

(With inputs from Agencies)