WASHINGTON -- The US government on Monday advised its people against travel to South Korea amid reports of widespread COVID-19 infections in the Northeast Asian nation.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) added South Korea to the "very high" risk Level 4 category, along with five other countries and territories, including Azerbaijan, Belarus, Comoros, French Polynesia and Saint Pierre and Miquelon

"If you must travel to South Korea, make sure you are vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines before travel," the CDC said on its website. "Even if you are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, you may still be at risk for getting and spreading COVID-19."

The number of places subject to Level 4, the CDC's highest risk level, has risen to almost 140 worldwide.

The Department of State also raised its travel alert for South Korea to "Level 4: Do Not Travel."

On Monday, South Korea reported 54,619 new COVID-19 infections due to the fast spread of the highly transmissible omicron variant across the nation. (Yonhap)