The U.S. State Department issued a Level 4 travel advisory for Mexico on Tuesday, advising Americans to avoid travel to the popular vacation destination due to the risk of COVID-19.

Mexico is one of the dozens of countries around the world that have been elevated to Level 4 (Do Not Travel) this spring as the department aims to "better reflect the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) science-based Travel Health Notices that outline current issues affecting travelers’ health." The State Department will expand its Level 4 advisory to include approximately 80 percent of countries around the world.

Mexico has received a Level 4 Travel Health Notice from the CDC, with the agency advising Americans to avoid all travel to the country due to the ongoing pandemic.

"Because of the current situation in Mexico even fully vaccinated travelers may be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19 variants and should avoid all travel to Mexico," the CDC states. "If you must travel to Mexico, get fully vaccinated before travel. All travelers should wear a mask, stay six feet from others, avoid crowds, and wash their hands."

While the State Department is advising against travel to Mexico, its advice for individual states isn't so definitive. For example, travelers are encouraged to exercise increased caution in places like Quintana Roo, Baja California Sur and Mexico City due to crime, with officials noting that there are currently no travel restrictions for U.S. government employees in popular tourist destinations such as Cancun, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, among others.

Mexico was among the first destinations to welcome back international tourists in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and is currently one of the few countries allowing travelers to visit without proof of a negative COVID-19 test result.