More than 250 cases of salmonellosis brought from all-inclusive hotels in tourists have been detected by UK authorities since January 2023. In connection with the mass import, the British Health Safety Agency (UKHSA) warned holidaymakers about the risk of infection and published recommendations. This was reported by the Turkish tourism media.
The press secretary of the department published a statement in which he warned about multiple episodes of infection that tourists brought into the country from Turkish All Inclusive hotels. It was clarified that most of the patients who encountered gastrointestinal disorders after returning from Turkey visited the Antalya area. Scientists who studied the data and performed genome sequencing in the samples confirmed the connection between the various cases of the disease. According to the agency, for the period from mid-January to July 19, 241 cases of salmonellosis were detected. The age of the majority of patients was 29 years, while 56% of patients were men.
The UKHSA stressed that it was in contact with the Turkish authorities and warned tourists going on holiday in Turkish hotels to be careful when consuming food and drink, especially in all-inclusive hotels.
The agency also introduced a series of recommendations to reduce the risk of salmonellosis:
- Always wash your hands before eating, after using the toilet, and before preparing food.
- Be careful when eating ready meals.
- Eat only those fruits that tourists have peeled themselves.
- Be especially careful when using pasteurized milk and dairy products.
We would like to add that warnings and advice are of particular importance for Ukrainian tourists who often choose Turkey as a vacation destination.