The countries more and less complicated now by the pandemic 0:54
(CNN) -
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday added eight destinations to its highest-risk category for travel, including Spain, the second-most-visited nation in the world before the launch began. pandemic.
In its weekly update of covid-19 travel advisories, the CDC advised against traveling to Spain at this time.
In 2019, Spain received more international visitors than almost every other country in the world, except France, according to figures from the UN World Tourism Organization.
Spain, from Level 3 to 4
The CDC also added seven more destinations in the Caribbean, Africa and the Middle East, as well as Europe, to its "Level 4: Covid-19 Very High" category.
Are:
Bonaire
Chad
Finland
Gibraltar
Lebanon
Monaco
San Marino
CDC includes a Tier 4 destination when there are more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.
Three small destinations in Europe - Gibraltar, Monaco and San Marino - are an example of traveling to places without reliable statistics.
They all spiked to Level 4 on Monday from the CDC's "unknown" risk category.
Destinations are placed in this category when the CDC does not have reliable information from them.
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Spain, Finland and Lebanon advanced from Level 3, which is considered "high risk".
Spain's designation comes even when it has impressive vaccination statistics.
As of December 17, more than 80% of the population had been fully vaccinated.
Chad, a landlocked North African nation, had previously been in Tier 1, the "low risk" category.
Increase in Cases, Omicron Concern, and Travel Bans
Traveling to and in Europe is becoming increasingly difficult for tourists, particularly those from the UK, where cases have skyrocketed.
France has banned all non-essential visitors to and from the UK.
Several countries in Europe have introduced new restrictions in recent days as the rise of covid-19 continues.
The Netherlands entered strict lockdown on Sunday, including closing non-essential shops, tourist sites and cultural institutions.
Some Christmas markets in Europe are still considering operating, but others, including the Munich market, have been canceled.
The Royal Caribbean cruise line reported that at least 48 people aboard the Symphony of the Seas, the world's largest cruise ship, have tested positive for coronavirus.
Royal Caribbean's Symphony of the Seas cruise ship in the Port of Miami on August 1, 2021. (Daniel Slim / AFP / Getty Images)
Meanwhile, the whole world continues to monitor the omicron variant.
First announced by South African health authorities in late November, the variant has caused several travel bans in southern African nations.
The CDC listed seven southern African nations at Level 4 on November 27, specifically due to omicron (an eighth nation, Botswana, was already at Level 4).
All of those nations remained at Level 4 on Monday.
And the United States put in place stricter travel rules on December 6 due to concerns about the variant.
Other nations at Tier 4
Spain is not alone.
Much of Europe is currently in the highest travel risk classification.
Other important destinations that are already in CDC Level 4 are:
France
Germany
Greece
Italy
United Kingdom
And Europe is not the only continent with popular tourist destinations at Level 4. Other major tourist sites with "very high" risk to travel include:
Belize
Jordan
Singapore
South Africa
Turkey
In total, almost 90 countries were included in Tier 4 as of December 20.
You can see the CDC's risk levels for global destinations on their travel advice page.
What's new in level 3
A panoramic view of the main square of Cusco, in Peru, which has risen to level 3.
(Ernesto Benavides / AFP / Getty Images)
The level 3 category, which applies to destinations that have had between 100 and 500 cases per 100,000 inhabitants in the last 28 days, just registered two new additions on Monday:
Peru
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
It was good news for the Caribbean nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which had been at Level 4. However, for Peru it was negative, given that it had been at Level 2 since the beginning of October.
Level 2, Level 1 and unknowns
Destinations bearing the designation "Level 2: Moderate Covid-19" have seen 50 to 99 cases of Covid-19 per 100,000 residents in the last 28 days.
There was only one incorporation on Monday, that of Saint Peter and Miquelon.
The tiny French territory off the coast of Newfoundland, Canada, had previously been at Level 1.
In the category of "Level 1: Low Covid-19" destinations, fewer than 50 new cases have been registered per 100,000 residents during the last 28 days.
There were no new additions on Monday.
Finally, there are destinations, as mentioned above, that the CDC considers to be of "unknown" risk due to a lack of information.
On Monday, he added four sites to this category:
Falkland Islands
French Guiana
Moldova
Sudan
The CDC is warning even fully vaccinated travelers about venturing to destinations without reliable statistics on the current COVID-19 situation.
In its broader guidance, the CDC has recommended avoiding all international travel until fully vaccinated.
"Fully vaccinated travelers are less likely to contract and spread COVID-19. However, international travel presents additional risks, and even fully vaccinated travelers may be at higher risk of contracting and possibly spreading some variants of COVID-19." the agency said.
CNN's Tamara Hardingham-Gill contributed to this report.
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