Warning to British tourists as holiday hotspot declares flu epidemic | World | News
One of the UK’s favorite holiday destinations has declared a flu epidemic, requiring anyone with symptoms to wear a mask in public. Manuela Garcia, the Health Minister for the Balearic Islands archipelago, warned that infections could peak in the coming weeks, spelling trouble for Brits hoping to beat the winter blues by heading abroad for Christmas. Majorca, one of the archipelago’s most popular tourist destinations, offers six hours of sunshine a day with average temperatures of 16C in December.
Despite recent anti-tourism protests, UK residents have continued to flock to the tense region in droves, but they got more than they bargained for when visiting this month. Ms Garcia said this week that the Balearic islands had officially entered the flu epidemic phase after 37.3 infections per 100,000 people were recorded and she urged residents to vaccinate themselves against the infection. Majorca Daily Bulletin reports.
Ms. Garcia said the recent surge in cases marked an unusually early peak in flu transmission, with the highest number of infections normally recorded in January.
He said the situation forced authorities to implement contingency plans, including opening additional hospital beds and hiring new medical staff.
As well as urging anyone showing flu symptoms to cover their faces in public, she said healthcare workers and those regularly in contact with elderly and vulnerable people should take similar precautions to those observed during the Coronavirus pandemic.
“All the precautions we learned during COVID definitely still apply,” he said.
The archipelago’s Regional Ministry of Health said locals and visitors should be prepared for a general increase in respiratory viruses during December, especially cases of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus, which are linked to seasonal factors.
The official confirmation of an epidemic was accompanied by the approval of a number of measures aimed at combating different intensities of infection, from wearing masks to protocols in hospitals and care homes.
Spanish health minister Monica Garcia said on social media: “We have approved a common protocol with all autonomous communities to combat flu, Covid-19 and other respiratory infections. Remote working and masks in health centers save lives. We said it was necessary and possible, and we achieved it.”
