US adds S. Korea to list of ‘very high’ risk countries

South Korea is among the six new additions to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of “very high” risk areas to travel to, according to the US authority’s website Monday.

Azerbaijan, Belarus, Comoros, French Polynesia and Saint Pierre and Miquelon were also newly added to the list.

In the new update, the CDC is urging Americans to avoid traveling to South Korea.

“If you must travel to South Korea, make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travel.

“Even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19,” the CDC said.

The US CDC has four risk assessment levels for COVID-19. Nearly 140 countries and territories are classified as the highest risk level, including Europe and Canada.

On Tuesday, South Korea reported 57,177 new COVID-19 infections. The country is grappling with the spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant.

The health authorities said earlier this month that daily cases could hit between 130,000 and 170,000 at the end of February.

By Yim Hyun-su (hyunsu@heraldcorp.com)