US eases travel advisory for India to second-lowest level

The U.S. State Department lowered its India travel advisory to the second-lowest level as the virus situation eases following one of the world’s most lethal resurgences. The shift to advising Americans to “exercise increased caution” when visiting India came after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the South Asian nation now has a “moderate level of Covid-19.”

Earlier this year, the US had put India in Level 4, which at that point of time was experiencing an unprecedented second wave of COVID-19. India was ravaged by the delta variant earlier this year, but reported cases have declined sharply since May, from hundreds of66 thousands a day to around 30,000. The Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has now issued a Level 2 Travel Health Notice for India due to COVID-19, indicating a moderate level of COVID-19 in the country. The U.S. has been adjusting its travel advisories to account for Covid-19 hotspots around the world, and the CDC raised its warning on travel to Turkey on Monday to a “very high” level of Covid. Travelers should make sure they’re fully x before visiting India, the CDC said, and it recommends wearing a mask and maintaining distance from others while there.