The rapid spread of the highly contagious Delta variant around the world means that the United States will continue with COVID-19 international travel restrictions for now, a White House official said Monday.

The Delta variant now accounts for 83% of all U.S. coronavirus cases, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

While the Biden administration recognizes the importance of international travel, COVID-19 cases are rising in the United States and that’s likely to continue in the coming weeks, said the official who wasn’t authorized to discuss the issue, the Associated Press reported.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden said his administration was “in the process” of considering how soon the United States could lift the ban on European travel to this country.

But the rise and prevalence of COVID-19 variants in Europe has made the Biden administration move slowly on increasing transatlantic travel, the AP reported.

Most of continental Europe has eased travel restrictions of fully vaccinated Americans, but the United Kingdom still requires quarantines for most visitors from the United States.

Last week, the CDC advised all Americans against travel to the United Kingdom, due to a spike in COVID-19 cases there.

More information

Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for more on traveling during the pandemic.

SOURCE: Associated Press

Source: HealthDay