Going to Mexico for spring break? The US has this travel alert for you

In addition to existing "Level 3" travel warnings issued by both the U.S. Department of State and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, travelers heading to Mexico for spring break this month have a new travel alert to consider.

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On March 4, the U.S. Embassy & Consulates in Mexico said potential spring break travelers should consider various factors beyond COVID-19 in planning their upcoming trips to Mexico. These factors include the risk of crime, sexual assault and illegal drug use in popular tourist destinations.

"Each year, thousands of U.S. citizens visit Mexico during spring break," the Embassy says. "While the vast majority travel safely, visitors should consider the following factors when planning their vacation or traveling throughout Mexico."

Additionally, the Embassy urged caution against "unregulated" alcohol, citing Americans who have "reported losing consciousness or becoming injured after consuming alcohol that was possibly unregulated."

The alert said that violent crime "can occur anywhere in Mexico, including in popular tourist destinations." Therefore, travelers should exercise enhanced awareness.

Additionally, the State Department says Americans should reconsider travel to Mexico as a whole, while advising visitors to avoid specific areas of the country due to increased risk of crime and kidnapping, including in Baja, Cancun and Puerto Vallarta.

The CDC reports that Mexico currently has a high level of COVID-19 case numbers, a designation for countries with anywhere from 100-500 cases per 100,000 people, and again the CDC advises that “unvaccinated travelers should avoid nonessential travel to this destination.”

Since June 2020, the Mexican government has maintained a stoplight system throughout the country based on risk for COVID-19, and the majority of the country is at a "green" level, indicating a low risk for contracting COVID-19 based on Mexico government data, including Quintana Roo (Cancun, Tulum and Cozumel) and Puerto Vallarta.

As a result, very few COVID-19 restrictions remain in place, excluding in Puerto Vallarta, where there is still a mask requirement for public spaces.

Related: The difference between CDC and State Department travel warnings

Photo of Cancun by Raul Garcia Herrera/EyeEm/Getty Images.