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(CNN) – After downgrading the risk levels of many of the world’s top travel destinations last week in conjunction with an overhaul of their travel ratings, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention listed just one place in the “high” risk category on Monday .
The small Caribbean island Sheba – a special municipality in the Netherlands known for its rugged hiking terrain and having the shortest commercial runway in the world – has been upgraded to Level 3.
The risk category level 3 “high” is now the top level in terms of risk level. Level 2 is considered “moderate” risk and Level 1 is considered “low” risk. Saba had been at level 1.
Level 4 is now only reserved for special circumstances. No targets have been placed at level 4 under the new system.
The revision comes as U.S. government agencies and the public continue to respond and adapt to an ever-evolving pandemic — and at times in sharp contradiction.
Last week, a federal judge overturned the federal mask mandate for transportation. That sparked a quick chain of reactions, and the CDC has asked the Justice Department to appeal. Meanwhile, masks on planes, trains and public transport are largely optional for now. (Some airports and transit systems have their own masking rules).
Saba, rated Monday in the CDC’s “High” risk category, is known for its tiny runway — the shortest commercial runway in the world.
Albert Nieboer/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
level 3
In the CDC’s new system, the Level 3 “high” risk category applies to destinations that have had more than 100 cases per 100,000 population in the past 28 days.
However, Saba is not alone on this level. A large part of Europe is still housed there, the summer travel season is not too far away. On April 25, these popular nations included:
• France
• Germany
• Greece
• Ireland
• Italy
• Portugal
• Spain
• Great Britain
It’s not just European favorites who find themselves at Tier 3. Other popular high-risk travel destinations around the world include:
• Brazil
• Canada
• Egypt
• Malaysia
• Mexico
• South Korea
• Thailand
There are nearly 120 Level 3 targets this week, a small decrease from the previous week, and accounting for just over half of the approximately 235 total locations monitored by the CDC.
The CDC does not include the United States in its list of recommendations, but on its color-coded map of the world the CDC had it at Level 3 as of Monday. 
Indonesia is one of four travel destinations placed in the “moderate” Covid-19 risk category on Monday.
Philip/Adobe Stock
level 2
Destinations labeled “Level 2: Covid-19 Moderate” reported 50 to 100 Covid-19 cases per 100,000 residents over the past 28 days. Four targets were moved to this tier on Monday. They are:
• ElSalvador
• Indonesia
• Oman
• United Arab Emirates
All four of these locations had been at level 3 last week. The CDC had just 13 medium-risk targets worldwide as of Monday.
In its broader travel advice, the CDC has recommended avoiding all international travel until you are fully vaccinated. If you are concerned about a health situation unrelated to Covid-19, check here.
Azerbaijan switched to “low” risk on Monday. The old town of Azerbaijan’s capital Baku is seen here.
r_andrei/Adobe Stock
level 1
To be in Level 1: Covid-19 Low, a destination must have 49 or fewer new cases per 100,000 population in the past 28 days. Three destinations were added on April 25:
• Armenia
• Azerbaijan
• Libya
The decline was most impressive for Libya, which was at high-risk Level 3. Armenia and Azerbaijan, both in the mountainous Caucasus region where Asia and Europe meet, were at Tier 2.
Destinations in Africa dominate at this level, including Kenya, Rwanda and Senegal. Level 1 had about 55 entries in total this week.
unknown
Finally, there are destinations for which the CDC has an “unknown” risk due to a lack of information. Usually, but not always, these are small, remote places or places with ongoing wars or civil unrest.
There was a new entry in this category on Monday: Gambiaa small nation in West Africa.
In this category, the Azores, Cambodia and Nicaragua attract their fair share of visitors. The CDC advises against traveling to these locations precisely because the risks are unknown.
A medical expert weighs the risk levels
According to CNN medical analyst Dr. Leana Wen, transmission rates are “a guide” for travelers’ personal risk calculations.
We have entered “a phase of the pandemic where people must make their own decisions based on their medical circumstances as well as their risk tolerance when it comes to contracting Covid-19,” said Wen, the emergency room doctor and professor is in health policy and management at the George Washington University Milken Institute School of Public Health.
According to Wen, there are other factors to consider in addition to transfer rates.
“Another question is what precautions are required and followed at the place you are going and the third question is what you want to do once you are there.
“Planning to visit many attractions and go to indoor bars? This is very different than going somewhere where you lie on the beach all day and don’t want to interact with anyone. This is very different. Those are very different levels of risk.”
Vaccination is the most important safety factor for travel, as unvaccinated travelers are more likely to get sick and transmit Covid-19 to others, Wen said.
And it’s also important to consider what you would do if you tested positive while away from home. Where will you stay and how easy will it be to get a test to return home?
Picture above: Windwardside, Saba, Dutch West Indies. (¡zenzen!/Adobe Stock)