The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a travel advisory for 32 different Middle Eastern, African, and European countries in March 2026. The warning was issued by the CDC due to cases of polio spreading among the populations in the impacted areas.
The advisory, released ahead of the busy spring travel season, places the countries under a Level 2 alert, which means travelers should “practice enhanced precautions,” including ensuring their polio vaccinations are up to date, according to the CDC’s travel health notice system.
Read more: New CDC vaccine schedule and guidelines: Which shots are no longer recommended?
Full list of the countries under the level 2 travel advisory
Popular holiday destinations, including Spain, the United Kingdom, and Germany, are included on the CDC’s Level 2 travel alert list. Here are the other countries on the list:
- Afghanistan
- Algeria
- Angola
- Benin
- Burkina Faso
- Cameroon
- Central African Republic
- Chad
- Côte d’Ivoire
- Democratic Republic of the Congo
- Djibouti
- Ethiopia
- Finland
- Gaza
- Germany
- Ghana
- Guinea
- Israel
- Niger
- Nigeria
- Pakistan
- Papua New Guinea
- Poland
- Senegal
- Somalia
- South Sudan
- Spain
- Sudan
- Tanzania
- United Kingdom
- Yemen
- Zimbabwe
Read more: World Polio Day 2025: All on deadly disease and global efforts to eradicate it
What travelers should know before visiting these countries?
The CDC says travelers who are fully vaccinated against polio may still be advised to receive a single lifetime booster dose before traveling to areas where the virus is circulating.
Polio is a highly infectious viral disease that predominantly affects the neurological system. The virus spreads mostly through contact with contaminated feces, as well as dangerous food or water; thus, hand cleanliness and food safety are crucial precautions to take when traveling.
Hence, health authorities stress that the advisory does not mean travelers should cancel trips, but rather take preventive steps such as vaccination, good hygiene practices, and safe food and water consumption.
To avoid the transmission of the polio virus, travelers planning spring and summer trips should examine their immunization records, consult specialists about boosters, and adhere to strict hand hygiene habits.
The list of countries at risk may change as surveillance updates become available, so passengers should stay up to speed on official advisories both before and during their journey.
