Virus warning to travellers
Health experts are warning holidaymakers to beware of a potentially deadly virus carried by mosquitoes.
Two travellers have come back to Britain from Portugal suffering from West Nile Virus, which causes ‘flu-like symptoms and which has been known to be fatal. Both the victims had been bitten by mosquitoes while holidaying in the Algarve.
The Health Protection Agency in England is urging travellers to take extra care while abroad.
Dr Dilys Morgan, an expert on the virus at the agency, said: “Although these are the first cases we are aware of having been contracted in the Algarve, there have been sporadic clusters of West Nile Virus in a number of European countries in recent decades. However, the risk of humans becoming infected in Europe is still thought to be very low. The disease is passed to humans via mosquito bites and there are precautions that people can take to prevent being bitten.”
These included wearing loose-fitting, light-weight clothing that covers up skin as much as possible, staying indoors during the peak hours of mosquito feeding between dusk and dawn, and using insect repellent on exposed areas, she said.
Four out of five people who catch the disease recover with no further problems. The disease is rare in the UK, but relatively common in tropical countries and around the Mediterranean.
The condition of the two travellers affected, who come from Ireland, is not known.
Ginny McGrath
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Qatar Airways offers reduced timetable to over 60 destinations
Hands In, UATP join forces for airline multi-card payments
AirlineRatings reveals world's safest airline rankings for 2026
Vietnam warns airlines of possible flight reductions amid jet fuel shortages
Fliggy opens AI-powered travel bookings and developer tools