France travel warning issued as tourists told to be wary of serious illness

dailyrecord.co.uk:

British holidaymakers have been warned to be wary of a potentially severe disease that is circulating around France right now.With the summer holidays fully underway, many families will be jetting off to all corners of the globe to enjoy some sun, sea and relaxation, reports Wales Online.However, those heading across to France have been warned to keep an eye out for tick-borne encephalitis (TBE) - following the discovery of 61 cases in the country recently.The condition has been found in the Auvergne-Rhône Alpes, and cases of TBE are now being detected in the Haute-Savoie and Ardèche areas too.Public Health France have urged people to take action to protect themselves, as TBE has a 94 per cent hospitalisation rate.The disease is passed onto humans through tick bites, that are often spotted in humid wooded areas.

Tick-borne encephalitis is an infection that affects the nervous system in the body, and in 40 per cent of cases people report neurological problems for several years after.Following a two-week incubation period, TBE begins very suddenly with a fever, chills and a headache - much like influenza.A total of 40 per cent of people could experience long-term neurological effects, that can last for years.Thirty-seven per cent of cases declared between May 2021 and May 2023 contracted meningitis, 38 per cent encephalitis, 13 per cent meningoencephalitis, and three per cent encephalomyelitis.With 94 per cent of cases requiring admission to hospital, there have been no reported deaths of the disease as of yet.

While France is not yet recommending vaccination, the public health body has urged the population to protect themselves from tick bites, and to check their bodies after walking in rural areas to make sure they