US Centre for Disease Control labels island as ‘very high risk’ destination

The US Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) urged travelers to avoid coming to Mauritius, as it included the island in its Level 4 “very high risk” countries list.

The classification comes two weeks before the scheduled reopening of the Mauritian borders.

Other countries among the latest places deemed “Level 4: Covid-19 Very High” risk for travel are Afghanistan, Albania, Belize, Grenada, Lithuania, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Serbia and Slovenia.

In the notice, travellers are urged to “Avoid travel to Mauritius.”

Destinations that fall into the Level 4 category have had more than 500 cases per 100,000 residents in the past 28 days.

Reacting to the news, Arvin Bundhun, Director of the Mauritius Tourism Authority (MTPA), said the classification “does not reflect the reality in Mauritius”.

While admitting there is a surge in the number of positive COVID-19 cases, Bundhun highlighted that most of the carriers are asymptomatic.

“This classification will not slow down the efforts of the MTPA to promote the Mauritian destination,” he was quoted as telling Defi Media.