U.S. CDC urges public to avoid travel during Christmas to curb COVID-19 infections

An airline worker helps a holiday traveler check in at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport in Arlington, Virginia, the United States, on Dec. 23, 2020. In its latest advisory, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged the public to avoid travel and stay at home during Christmas holiday to curb the further spread of the COVID-19 virus. The recommendation came as the country continues to see increasing COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)

WASHINGTON, Dec. 23 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has urged the public to avoid travel and stay at home during Christmas holiday, to curb the further spread of the COVID-19 virus.

"Travel may increase your chance of spreading and getting COVID-19. CDC continues to recommend postponing travel and staying home, as this is the best way to protect yourself and others this year," the CDC said in its latest advisory.

The safest way to celebrate winter holidays is staying at home with the people who live with you, it added.

"Host a virtual holiday meal with friends and family, gather for a virtual gift exchange, decorate your home, or make festive crafts," said the CDC.

The recommendation came as the country continues to see increasing COVID-19 cases, deaths and hospitalizations.

Over 1,511,000 cases have been reported in the Untied States over the past seven days, according to the CDC.

A total of 183,927 new cases and 1,725 deaths were reported across the nation on Monday, according to data updated on Tuesday by the CDC.

The seven-day average of new daily cases now stood at nearly 216,000 cases, and the seven-day average of deaths topped over 2,600, according to the CDC.

There are a record 117,777 people currently hospitalized with COVID-19 in the United States, according to latest data of the COVID Tracking Project.

The country has been rolling out COVID-19 vaccine campaign after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved two vaccines for emergency use.

The United States has recorded over 18.2 million cases with over 322,500 related deaths as of Tuesday night, according to the real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.