U.S. State Department lowers Mexico travel advisory rating

FILE PHOTO: A woman wearing a protective face mask walks towards Mexico at the Paso del Norte International Border bridge after the U.S. Department of Homeland Security extended limits on non-essential travel at land ports of entry, as the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak continues, in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico May 18, 2021. REUTERS/Jose Luis Gonzalez/File Photo

The U.S. State Department on Tuesday lowered its travel advisory rating for Mexico to "Level 3: Reconsider Travel" as U.S. health officials revised its assessment of COVID-19 concerns for a number of nations.

In April, the United States rated about 150 countries out of 209 as "Level 4: Do Not Travel." Today that number has fallen to about 125 at the highest advisory level.

(Reporting by David Shepardson; editing by Jonathan Oatis)