Thailand is among only seven countries and territories categorized in the latest US travel advisory as being at low-risk for COVID-19 infection.

Professor Dr. Nop Siriruek Songsivilai, Secretary-General of the National Research Committee, said on Sunday that the inclusion of Thailand in the low risk list is a significant change and welcome news for Thailand.

The other low risk places on the list are New Zealand, Fiji and islands in the Caribbean, including Bonorae, Saba and Saint Barthélemy.

The travel advisory was prepared by the US State Department and the Centres for Diseases Control and Prevention (CDC) based on periodical infection assessments, travel problems, basic healthcare infrastructure and medical professionals, as well as the management of disease control in each location.

Of the world’s 241 countries and territories, 207 are in the high-risk group, 13 in the very low-risk group, such as Brunei, Laos, Macau, Taiwan, Timor-Leste, and there is insufficient information to enable assessment of the remaining locations.