
Destinations such as Australia and New Zealand depend heavily on their agriculture industry and so they have very strict bio-security rules for travellers arriving at the border. However the Scottish government is also concerned about such legislation and it has recently claimed that the rise in cases of food-borne illness could be linked to immigrants.
Tourists have been warned of strict rules on travel, health and safety in New Zealand, Australia and now Scotland. The tourist advice warns that those undertaking outdoor activities such as hiking and skiing could potentially put themselves at risk of food poisoning.
The warning comes as the public health service warned that 900 of those who had fallen ill were due to a bacterium called Shigella. The ‘silent’ infection may have caused stomach aches, diarrhoea and even kidney failure and they were urged to seek immediate medical help if they became ill.
Recovery may very well be made fun with some time spent on a top 20 online casino UK travellers who have contracted the illness have taken to, but that’s when the worst of it is behind them.
The advice also claims that tourists could contract health problems, such as obesity, lung diseases and dementia, just by getting into the water on holiday. It is worth pointing out that all of these diseases are infectious and the risk of getting them from holidaying in the Scottish Highlands is miniscule.
Erik Ladehagen from the food policy division at Scotland’s Rural College told BBC Radio Scotland that tourists should be mindful of ensuring that food on holiday is regulated correctly. He said: “Scotland is a very safe country with health standards that are very high and tourists must be aware that they may be able to fall ill on holiday as a result of unsafe food or drinks that they consume on their trips.”
He said that the key issue is about prevention rather than dealing with the problem when it is caused. He said: “But as a country, we’ve seen that there is now a growing trend that when there are some concerns and concerns that arise, there is a tendency to avoid the discussion or the problem or go straight to managing the situation. The people who experience health problems often don’t come forward and report it when they do get ill.”
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “This is not the case, Scotland has some of the safest public health measures in the world, with the highest rates of vaccinations, strong water and food standards and controls that are world class.” She said that the government worked closely with local authorities and public health groups to ensure that food, drink and other products are compliant.
She also said that health tourism is no longer a problem for Scotland. She added: “In the last few years Scotland has consistently met and exceeded its international health protection requirements. We do not have issues with food safety, diseases that have made their way into the country, or problems with health tourists.”
The tourist advice states: “Food in Scottish gardens, parks and countryside is a prime target for pests, seedlings and exotic plants. You could also find some plants that might appear to be a completely harmless species in other countries. They are safe to plant in gardens here and are important in the production of vegetables such as tomatoes, potatoes, etc.