Millions Of Cruisers Advised To Protect Against Infection Spread

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MILLIONS OF CRUISERS ADVISED TO PROTECT AGAINST INFECTION SPREAD

Over 1.5 million cruise passengers are being advised to think about the potential spread of infection when travelling with hundreds of holidaymakers in confined space for days or weeks.

According to MASTA, operator of Britain’s biggest network of specialist travel health clinics, gastro-intestinal infections and flu are typical of the illnesses that can break out on cruise ships.

Lynda Bramham, senior nurse advisor at MASTA said: “Passengers should take extra care with personal hygiene such as hand washing before meals and after visiting the bathroom.

“Flu can spread quickly and immunisation is especially important for travellers with pre-existing medical problems such as heart or respiratory conditions.”

This month two new ocean liners will be launched in Southampton which are expected to create greater interest in cruising as a holiday choice. And according to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA) the number of UK cruise passengers will reach 1.55 million in 2008, an increase of 14 per cent on last year.

Lynda Bramham also advised caution if cruising in malarious regions. She said the risk will be “very low” if you are on the ship sailing between dusk and dawn, the time when the mosquitoes that transmit malaria bite, but added:

“If sailing down rivers running through malarious regions such as the Amazon in Brazil or the Orinoco in Venezuela anti-malarial tablets would be recommended. Also if your plans may change and you could be ashore between dusk and dawn we would advise you to take anti-malarials. In tropical areas, cruise travellers should avoid insect bites day and night, diseases such as dengue and yellow fever are transmitted by daytime biting mosquitoes.”

Notes

MASTA provides travel health advice on anti-malarials, vaccinations and disease prevention for the public travelling abroad and is British Airways Preferred Partner for travel health services.

MASTA Travel Clinics are the largest and most successful network of private travel clinics in the UK.

200,000 travellers are registered on its e-clinic system.

Further advice is available at www.masta.com

Independence of the Seas from Royal Caribbean is due to launch in May and P&O Cruises launches Venturain April.