Urgent health warning for Brits seeking winter sun as their top holiday destination is ravaged by multiple outbreaks
Older Brits flying to Tenerife and Lanzarote for a spell of winter sun should wear a mask in public places and get protective vaccinations before traveling, health chiefs have warned.
The urgent warning has been prompted by an explosion of ‘deadly’ winter viruses in the Canary Islands – a popular holiday destination for people looking for a Christmas holiday abroad.
Cases of Covid, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have increased fivefold in the region since August, prompting an official warning from the Canary Islands Association of Primary Care Physicians.
According to Spanish authorities, the three viruses together now affect as many as 794 people per 100,000.
In England the figure is roughly 60 per 100,000 residents – around ten times lower than that in the Spanish archipelago, government data shows.
Although the viruses cause mild symptoms in most healthy, young people, older Britons with underlying conditions and babies are at risk of a life-threatening illness.
Ana Joyanes, president of the Canary Islands Association of Primary Care Physicians (AMAPCAN), warned that the region expects cases to continue to rise during the winter months. GB News reports.
Doctors are still urging vulnerable travelers to get vaccinated against both flu and Covid before visiting the Canary Islands (photo Lanzarote) to avoid serious illness and pressure on emergency services
The Ministry of Health will meet in November to decide whether to implement mandatory mask-wearing to control the spread
The peak of the previous season occurred in mid-December last year and reached 1,296 cases per 100,000 inhabitants.
Ms Joyanes said: ‘Vaccination is essential to milden the impact of these infections or prevent them altogether, especially if you are over 60 or considered vulnerable.
‘Anyone with respiratory symptoms should wear a mask to prevent transmission.’
‘Both flu and Covid can be fatal. “If we are protected, we will do better against the viruses,” she added.
The region’s health ministry will meet in November to decide whether to implement mandatory mask-wearing to control the spread.
The Canary Islands are a popular hotspot for winter sun holidays, with millions of Brits flocking to the Spanish region every year.
Tourists traveling to Tenerife, Lanzarote, Grand Canaria, Fuerteventura, El Hierro, La Gomera or La Palma are all affected by the warning.
The health warning comes as Brits are told to brace for a ‘quadruplemia’ amid a rise in norovirus cases.
Vomit virus numbers rose 40 percent last month, putting pressure on the health care system before the season even gets into full swing. It is believed that Covid, RSV and flu will also increase this winter.
A cough, runny nose and loss of taste and smell are telltale signs of Covid.
Norovirus can show similar symptoms to the Covid-19 virus, with both viruses causing chills, fever and headache. Yet it also causes explosive vomiting and diarrhea.
The stomach flu usually goes away on its own within two to three days.
