UK holidaymakers 'run malaria risk'

UK holidaymakers
'run malaria risk'

The Press Association

More UK holidaymakers run the risk of contracting malaria as they switch from traditional hotspots in the hunt for bargain trips during the recession, it was revealed.

The collapse of the pound against the euro means increasing numbers of British tourists are visiting malarial countries such as South Africa, Kenya, Thailand and Malaysia.

The Malaria Awareness Campaign on Sunday warned holidaymakers, particularly those making 11th hour bookings, to beware the dangers.

Frances Tuke, of travel organisation Abta, said: "As money monitoring remains a top priority, travellers are taking advantage of last-minute deals to destinations where they'll get the best value for money, rather than the usual summer holiday in Europe."

Dr George Kassianos, a member of the UK Malaria Guidelines Committee, added: "We know from studies that people who book their trips at the last minute are much less likely to seek travel health advice before they go.

"Deaths can occur within 24 hours of the first symptoms of the most dangerous strain of malaria, so all travellers need to recognise the importance of speaking to their GP, practice nurse or travel clinic before going abroad."

The most recent figures from the Health Protection Agency showed that there were 1,548 cases of malaria reported among UK travellers in 2007. Five of these cases were fatal.

The majority of the cases (1,139) were due to the potentially fatal Plasmodium falciparum strain, which is a major international health risk and kills more than a million people a year in Africa.

reference: UK holidaymakers 'run malaria risk'
The Press Association