The Irish Government, through the Health Protection and Surveillance Center (HPSC), has issued a notice urging travelers planning to come to our country implement hygiene measures.
This is a health tip After an outbreak of gastroenteritis this summer, Caused by Cryptosporidium, a protozoan that is resistant to chlorine, more than 400 people in Tarazona and other surrounding cities were affected.
The outbreak in Tarazona is not an isolated outbreak, and European health authorities have sounded the alarm. Increased cases of intestinal infections caused by the same microorganism Since late summer. In Spain, from January to October 31, 2023, a total of 3,462 cases of cryptosporidiosis have been notified by the autonomous communities to the National Epidemiological Surveillance Network. This means the total number of cases registered in 2022 has quadrupled to 815 confirmed cases.
The European Center for Disease Control and Prevention (ECDC) has warned of a rise in the intestinal parasite, pointing to Spanish resorts as infection points. Foreign tourism has also been affected by this protozoa during our country’s summer vacation. In this sense, In Ireland, they found 50 cases, 37 of which were linked to travel to Salou, In Tarragona.
Avoid using tap water
To this end, the Irish government requires its nationals to adopt strict health measures when traveling to Spain and Salou in particular.ask them Wash your hands often with soap and water, Especially after visiting a food market, touching objects in public areas and touching live animals.
Regarding drinking water, he asked them to check whether the tap water has been treated, smell it if chlorine is found, and ask whether the hotel’s tap water is safe to drink. If they are unsure, he advises them to avoid drinking it if possible, They put no ice in their drinks and brush their teeth with bottled water. In Spain we are used to receiving these warnings when traveling to certain countries outside the European continent.
“Ireland asks its citizens if they travel to Spain to smell the tap water and see if they notice chlorine”
The Irish Health Surveillance and Protection Center also provides its citizens with A list of drinks they consider safe, such as mineral water, juices, soft drinks, hot drinks, wine and beer. For those visiting our country from Ireland, they are an alternative to drinking tap water.
Regarding food, they urged people to avoid foods they considered unsafe, such as salads, raw seafood or cold foods from places with “questionable hygiene”. Avoid “contact with fly food” And make sure their dishes are recently cooked and hot.
unfounded prejudice
The suggestions are surprising,”May create prejudice among people elsewhere “They may think our country is an unsafe place, but that’s not the case,” said Ergeano, professor of sociology. Fernando Gil Vera.
Still, Villar doesn’t think the warnings will worsen Irish perceptions of Spain because “The image of a country is formed by objective indicators such as road network and highway kilometers. or health services. They are modern infrastructure that really shape the image and vision of a country for tourists. ” explains the professor, who teaches at the University of Salamanca.
“Spain is in a pretty high position when it comes to these infrastructures,” he said. “It is true that at some point an incident may occur, just as a train may be delayed and an outbreak of gastroenteritis may occur, but Spain is not a banana republic, these situations happen all the time. This is not the case and we must clarify this,” continued the sociology professor.
“Any Spaniard traveling abroad will also take the precaution of drinking bottled water”
Furthermore, “it is common sense for any Spaniard traveling to Ireland or any other destination to also take precautions and drink bottled water,” he added. “What visitors to Spain are really interested in is citizen security. At this point we are better than many European countries, including Ireland. ” insisted the professor.
“common sense”
It is on these issues that they also made suggestions to their own countries such as the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. All of them warn their citizens: Increase vigilance against the possibility of terrorist attacks and civil unrest If you visit Spain. In this sense, Canada reports that Spain’s anti-terrorism alert level is level 4 (the highest is level 5) and that “demonstrations against the amnesty triggered acts of vandalism and violent clashes with police”.
“The image of any country is affected by the political environment it experiences. This is not a phenomenon unique to Spain, it is also the case in the United States and Brazil, for example,” explains Gil Vilas. “but Exaggeration and bigotry must be avoided. I am sure that no tourist suspended their trip to the United States when the attack on the White House occurred. “The professor gave an example.
“I am convinced that no tourist has suspended travel to the United States after the attack on the White House.”
“If visitors know that there will be demonstrations that could lead to violence, what they should do is not pass through the area. It’s a matter of common sense,” he added. please remember”No country we mentioned has more insecurity than we do, So it’s quite the opposite, because Spain is a highly recommended tourist destination because of its safety,” he concluded.