Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
16 July 2013 09:31
The Foreign Office has updated its travel advice on Greece after increased numbers of jellyfish were reported
Britons have been advised to be on their guard for jellyfish to ensure they enjoy a trouble-free holiday in Greece this summer.
The UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office (FCO) has updated its travel advice for Greece following reports of an increase in the number of jellyfish blooms around the country.
Britons are being urged to keep a close eye on local advice as regards jellyfish, while of course holidaymakers will as ever be wanting to ensure they have good quality travel insurance and medical travel insurance in place whatever their destination.
The development comes after officials issued warnings about jellyfish in the Mediterranean coastal waters of France and Italy.
"We have been alerted to large numbers of jellyfish in the Mediterranean this summer, especially in a number of key holiday destinations for UK tourists," an FCO spokeswoman told BBC News.
She said the key aim is to make the FCO travel advice as useful as possible for people travelling overseas.
However, an expert in Italy told BBC News there is no need for any undue concern about the risks posed by jellyfish.
Professor Piraino, a marine biologist at the University of Salento in southern Italy, said a project known as the JellyRisk programme has been closely monitoring jellyfish activity and its impact on humans since 2009.
The expert is a project co-ordinator on the scheme and he acknowledged there has been an increase in jellyfish but the risk they pose is manageable.
"Of course, as in any other ocean or sea in the world, there might be some problems," he said.
However, he added that resorts across the Mediterranean are fortunate because the sea is not home to any deadly jellyfish.
The team behind the JellyRisk programme has developed a smartphone app enabling people to find out about jellyfish numbers in their current location.
It also provides scientific information about how to treat jellyfish stings in view of the fact the appropriate treatment depends on the species involved.
Anti-jellyfish nets are also due to be installed at several popular beaches to assess whether they are effective.
18 August 2018
Diets that replace carbohydrates with protein or fat should be avoided due to a possible association with shortened life spans, scientists have warned.
[more...]
17 August 2018
People living with HIV could be offered a long-lasting injection that controls the virus and protects patients from developing AIDS.
16 August 2018
Holidaymakers in the UK will be hit by more train price hikes from next year, after the Government announced ticket prices will increase by 3.2% in January.
15 August 2018
A simple blood test could help GPs detect a rare form of bone marrow cancer much earlier, a new study suggests.
14 August 2018
Passengers arriving at Heathrow Airport last month faced queues of over two and a half hours at passport control, new figures have revealed.
11 August 2018
Hundreds of Ryanair flights will not take off as planned on Friday due to pilot strikes in five countries.
10 August 2018
Fad diets that cut out carbs while increasing fat consumption could lead to an increased risk of diabetes, according to new research.
09 August 2018
HIV testing has become even more accessible after a self-testing kit was made available from a High Street retailer.
08 August 2018
Women patients are more likely to survive a heart attack if they are treated by a female doctor, a new US study has revealed.
07 August 2018
The head of British Airways has branded two-hour queues facing travellers at Heathrow's passport control as a "border farce."
04 August 2018
Simple factors such as gender and body mass can help doctors to personalise care for patients with type 2 diabetes and avoid harmful side effects, according to a study.
03 August 2018
Gatwick Express must no longer claim it runs "non-stop to Victoria station in half an hour" and "in just 30 minutes" unless it can achieve the time in most cases, a watchdog has ruled.