Washington, Nov 20 (IANS): US non-essential travel restrictions across its borders with Canada and Mexico will be extended through December 21 due to the raging Covid-19 pandemic in the three countries, Acting Homeland Security Secretary Chad Wolf said.

"In order to continue to prevent the spread of Covid, the US, Mexico, and Canada will extend the restrictions on non-essential travel through December 21," Xinhua news agency quoted Wolf as saying in a tweet on Thursday.

"We are working closely with Mexico and Canada to keep essential trade and travel open while also protecting our citizens from the virus," he added.

The border restrictions were first implemented on March 21.

The border curbs between Canada and US have been renewed every month since.

The current extension was set to expire on November 21.

As of Friday, The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of Covid-19 cases and deaths at 11,710,084 and 252,484, according to the Johns Hopkins University.

Mexico has registered 1,015,071 confirmed infections and 99,528 fatalities, while Canada's overall caseload and death toll stood at 309,487 and 11,164, respectively.