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Foreign Office alert for 13 countries as study shows 'higher odds of becoming a case' - full list

Serious food poisoning cases for UK tourists at popular travel hotspots revealed

[People eating abroad are being told to take precautions as a study showed the places most likely to get food poisoning]

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People eating abroad are being told to take precautions after a study showed the places most likely to get food poisoning(Image: Getty)

All UK travellers and tourists planning a trip abroad have been issued a warning by health officials after a new study showed high levels of food poisoning hitting some popular resourts. A study from Cambridge University found 13 destinations in particular having higher odds of people contracting serious food poisoning such as Shigellosis, Salmonellosis, and Giardiasis.

The Foreign Office-backed Travel Health Pro website this week issued an alert warning people to take precautions, especially when travelling to popular destinations outside the EU - although some hotspots there were flagged up in the report too.

Travel Health Pro said: All UK travellers and tourists planning a trip abroad are reminded to follow good food and water hygiene advice. This study shows that visiting countries outside of the EU, and to high-risk areas which had low water, sanitation and hygiene scores, increases the risk of infections that can cause stomach upset, like diarrhoea or vomiting.

Between 1 July and 15 October 2023, a rise in stomach bugs was reported in travellers returning to England from popular holiday destinations, including Egypt, Mexico, Tunisia and Turkey. Many of these travellers stayed in all-inclusive tourist resorts. The study also suggests the true number of infections is likely to be higher, as it only counted cases diagnosed in travellers after they returned home.

Destinations where high levels of food poisoning were detected in UK tourists are:

• Egypt
• Mexico
• Tunisia
• Turkey
• Jamaica
• Dominican Republic
• Cape Verde
• Morocco
• India
• Pakistan
• Thailand,
• Greece
• Spain

The study said: Thirteen destinations were associated with higher odds of becoming a case, of which the highest odds were reported for Egypt, Mexico, Tunisia, and Turkey, with the odds of illness in travellers to Egypt 23 times higher than those visiting France.

For those travelling to low-risk destinations, eating undercooked meat or fish, eating meat or fish purchased from local restaurants and airports, drinking purified water, and swallowing water from environmental water sources (rivers, lakes, sea, and swimming pools) were all found to be associated with higher odds of illness. In high-risk destinations, eating foods consumed on trips or excursions, swallowing water from environmental sources, drinking fruit juice or smoothies, and eating foods from hotel buffets were all associated with higher odds of being a case.

Travel health pro this week urged people to take these steps:

• Practice good food and water hygiene at all times, even in high-end, all-inclusive resorts.
• Wash your hands often, including before eating or preparing food, after using the toilet, after changing nappies and before and after sex.
• Eat recently prepared food that is fully cooked and served piping hot.
• Where there is no clean water supply, drink only bottled or boiled tap water (this includes brushing your teeth).
• Always avoid ice in your drinks.
• Avoid fresh fruit that you have not peeled yourself and salads not washed with bottled or boiled water.
• Avoid swallowing water from ponds, lakes and untreated swimming pools.

If you become ill abroad:

• Drink plenty of 'safe' fluids, such as bottled water, or tap water that has been boiled and cooled, and use oral rehydration solutions so that you do not become dehydrated.
• Get early medical advice if you are at greater risk of complications from gastrointestinal infections, this includes babies/young children, older adults, pregnant women and people who are immunosuppressed or have ongoing health conditions.
• Seek medical help if symptoms (such as diarrhoea and vomiting) last more than a few days or are not improving.
• Wash contaminated clothes or bedding on a hot wash and clean toilets, taps and door handles regularly.
• Avoid using swimming pools if you have a stomach bug. Take children on regular toilet breaks and check nappies often. If you have been told you have cryptosporidium do not use a swimming pool for 2 weeks after your diarrhoea has stopped.

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