Western governments are advising their citizens not to travel to large parts of Egypt as deadly political unrest continues to grip the country.

Britain’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) last Tuesday recommended against all but essential travel to Egypt.

When that warning was issued, at least 23 people had been killed and more than 200 injured following clashes between supporters of President Mohammed Morsi and those who want him removed.

The FCO advised against travel to all regions in the country except resorts on the Red Sea in South Sinai and those resorts on the Egyptian mainland in the Red Sea governorate.

Red Sea resorts in the entire region of Sharm el Sheikh, Taba, Nuweiba and Dahab had no travel restriction warnings at the time of going to print.

The FCO also deemed safe the St Catherine’s Monastery World Heritage Site, road travel between and from Red Sea resorts to the monastery approaching from the east, and transfers between the resorts and airports of Taba and Sharm el Sheikh.

An FCO spokesman said: “Although we are not recommending immediate departure at the moment, British nationals already in Egypt in areas where we advise against all but essential travel should consider whether they have a pressing need to remain.

“While in Egypt they should take particular care to avoid crowds.”

There were no warnings against the use of Cairo airport as a transit stop, providing travellers do not leave the airport grounds, the FCO said.

Last week, the Australian government upgraded its travel warning for Egypt to “reconsider your need to travel” – the second-highest level before “do not travel” – following the deadly violence.

The US Department of State has warned American citizens travelling to or living in Egypt to defer non-essential travel to the country.