Americans advised to avoid all travel to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Maldives

Washington, April 23

The US has advised its citizens to avoid travelling to India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and the Maldives due to the sudden surge in Covid cases in the region.

In a series of travel advisories on Thursday, the authorities also urged Americans to reconsider travel to China and Nepal; exercise increased caution while travelling to Sri Lanka and exercise normal travel precaution to Bhutan, which has been given Level 1, the safest level for travelling overseas.

India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh and the Maldives have been put in Level 4, which means asking Americans not to travel to these countries.

“Do not travel to India due to Covid, crime, and terrorism,” the State Department said in its latest travel advisory on India, days after the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a similar warning for India.

The CDC issued a Level 4 Travel Health Notice for India due to Covid, indicating a very high level of Covid in the country.

“Do not travel to the Maldives due to Covid. Exercise increased caution in the Maldives due to terrorism,” the State Department said in its travel advisory for the country.

“Do not travel to Pakistan due to Covid. Reconsider travel to Pakistan due to terrorism and sectarian violence. Some areas have increased risk,” the State Department said.

Terrorist groups continued plotting attacks in Pakistan, it said.

In its advisory on Afghanistan, the State Department asked its citizens not to travel to Afghanistan due to Covid, crime, terrorism, civil unrest, kidnapping, and armed conflict.

"Do not travel to Bangladesh due to Covid. Exercise increased caution in Bangladesh due to crime, terrorism, and kidnapping," it said. PTI