The Kingdom of eSwatini is one of seven countries to have been added to the US government’s list of countries designated ‘Level 4 Risk Countries’ and ‘Covid-19 very high risk’ by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) on August 10.

These countries are said to have had over 500 cases per 100 000 residents in the prior 28 days. US citizens are advised by the government not to travel to these countries, unless they are fully vaccinated. There are currently 80 countries on the list, including some of the big destinations for US tourists – Israel, Thailand, France, Spain UK, Ireland and The Netherlands.

In its guidance, CDC recommends completely avoiding travel to the destinations that are labelled ‘Level 4: COVID-19 very high’, even to fully vaccinated travellers.

eSwatini, where 63% of the population are classed by the UN as living in poverty, which has a 41% unemployment rate, and is currently suffering political instability, joins the other Southern African states of Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia, South Africa and Zimbabwe in this US high-risk group.