US Issues High Risk Travel Alert for Kenya over Covid-19

The US government has issued a travel alert for Kenya and other East African countries over the high risk of contracting Covid-19.

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in an updated health notice on Wednesday warned American citizens against traveling to Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Burundi.

CDC placed the four nations under Level 4 Alert, meaning there is a very high level of Covid-19 and all non-essential travel should be avoided.

If one must travel to these countries, they must strictly adhere to the health protocols on Covid-19 including wearing masks and keeping six feet distance from other people, CDC added.

“Travel may increase your chance of getting and spreading Covid-19,” the CDC said on its website.

“During travel, wear a mask, stay at least six feet from people who are not traveling with you, wash your hands often or use hand sanitizer, and watch your health for signs of illness.” 

CDC further urged travelers to get tested for Covid-19 one to three days before travel, and only leave the country after receiving the results.

Those returning to the US must also undergo testing one to three days earlier and adhere to all Covid-19 regulations.

The US on Wednesday reported 3,157 Covid-19 deaths, an all-time high. This pushed the death toll to 273,799 while the number of infections jumped to 13.9 million, according to data from Johns Hopkins University.

In Kenya, 961 new cases of Covid-19 and 10 deaths were recorded on Wednesday, bringing the total number of confirmed infections and fatalities to 85,130 and 1,484 respectively.