Call for an instant quote 0345 90 80 161
Open Mon to Fri 09:00 - 17:30 | Sat 09:00 - 16:00 (GMT)
05 November 2012 09:41
The US outbreak of the mosquito-borne West Nile virus is slowing, though the numbers of people infected continue to grow
There's mixed news on the West Nile virus outbreak in the United States. While the number of people infected by the mosquito-carrying disease is growing, the expansion of the 2012 outbreak is losing steam, according to US health officials.
A total of 4,891 people have now been infected with the illness, compared to the 4,725 infections last week, the Centre for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said. However, the CDC data shows a slowing down of the outbreak as the 166 new cases in the last week are below the 199 cases reported the previous week. Also down was the week's death toll, which was four, compared to the 36 of the previous week.
The CDC reports that slightly more than 50 percent of this year's cases have been the severe neuroinvasive type of the virus, which can lead to meningitis and encephalitis. The less dramatic variety of the West Nile Fever is seldom deadly and causes symptoms similar to those of the flu. Ten states have borne the brunt of 70 per cent of the cases: California, Colorado, Illinois, Louisiana, Michigan, Mississippi, Nebraska, Oklahoma, South Dakota and Texas. A spokesman for the Texas Department of State Health Services, Chris Van Deusen, said, "We're still seeing new cases, but we're seeing the pace slow down quite a bit." Travellers to the US and these states in particular should consider taking out medical travel insurance before departing.
23 June 2017
The fall in the value of the pound could pose a shock to British holidaymakers this summer, a currency expert has warned.
[more...]
22 June 2017
Britons have been warned that they could be banned from all-inclusive holidays unless they stop making bogus food poisoning claims.
21 June 2017
Holidaymakers could save themselves money by opting for self-catering breaks this summer, a report has shown.
20 June 2017
From trips abroad to days out closer to home, the school holidays can be a costly time for families.
17 June 2017
Debit and credit card charges are causing holidaymakers to "waste" more than £100 million each year, a new report has warned.
16 June 2017
Aggressive and potentially lethal prostate cancer could be detected more quickly thanks to a simple blood test, scientists have revealed.
15 June 2017
Many holidaymakers are over-estimating the benefits offered by European Health Insurance Cards (EHICs), a new study warns.
14 June 2017
British holidaymakers will benefit from the end of mobile roaming charges this week.
13 June 2017
UK holidaymakers could face higher costs in the months ahead following the collapse in the pound, the owner of a major travel firm has warned.
10 June 2017
Holidaymakers planning trips abroad in the coming days will be monitoring the progress of the pound closely following the surprise general election result.
09 June 2017
Family holidays to traditional hotspots like Menorca and Ibiza could end up costing more than far-flung destinations such as Orlando, Thailand and Bali, surprising new research suggests.
08 June 2017
Two of Europe's major budget airlines enjoyed strong passenger growth last month, as the summer holiday season got under way.