Measles outbreak in United States
Travellers should be aware that an American state has experienced an outbreak of measles, beginning at the start of the year when two housemates contracted the virus.
The Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE) said the outbreak began in Finney County and there are now six patients who have been diagnosed, with secondary cases also appearing.
KDHE and the Finney County Health Department confirmed the initial cases were contracted after the two patients travelled out of the US.
Robert Moser, secretary and state health officer, said: "In some cases, measles can result in secondary illnesses, such as bronchitis, pneumonia and encephalitis."
He urged people who are showing measles-like symptoms, which include fever, runny nose, tiredness and a blotchy body rash, to stay at home.
The virus is highly contagious and can take hold for around 10 to 14 days. To ensure the best help and protection, people visiting the area are advised to arrange comprehensive medical travel insurance.
General strike day to hit Belgium
Belgium is due for another general strike on Monday, with public and private sector workers taking a day of action over planned austerity measures.
The strike, which will coincide with the EU summit in the country's capital, Brussels, is expected to cause air and rail cancellations.
With a day of travel trouble looming, passengers on all transport are well advised to check they have
travel insurance cover as a safety net.
Ryanair, the main operator at the capital's second airport Brussels Charleroi, may have to cancel all its flights to the city, as airport and air traffic control staff are reportedly expected to join the strike.
The airline is to publish all flights affected and Brussels Airlines said it was working out the impact on its flights because it depended on outside parties to run them.
Insurance plea after typhoid cases
Visitors to Zimbabwe have been reminded of the importance of having the correct
medical travel insurance after a typhoid outbreak in Harare.
More than 600 residents have been treated for the bacterial disease and there are fears that the outbreak could spread beyond the capital
The majority of those affected by the disease live in the high-density Kuwadzana suburb, but hospitals have also reported cases in the Warren Park, Kambuzuma and Dzivaresekwa districts.
Visitors have been warned not to eat food sold by street vendors after testing by health officials showed samples of meat and fish contained traces of the typhoid bacterium.
However, tests on the city's water supplies proved negative, officials said, as they insisted the sanitation infrastructure was adequate.
Officials at Beatrice Infectious Diseases Hospital said a total of 660 people have received treatment for typhoid and about 70 remain in hospital as efforts continue to bring the outbreak under control.
Escaped cat halts Air Canada flight
An Air Canada flight was delayed on Wednesday while cabin crew and passengers searched for an escaped cat.
The pet, called Ripples, ran amok on Flight 603 to Toronto after escaping from its carrier and running into the cockpit.
Given that the feline's penchant for adventure delayed the flight for several hours, its owner might want to purchase
travel insurance in the future to ensure they are covered against flight cancellations.
The flight, which was supposed to depart from Halifax Stanfield International Airport at 5.30am, eventually departed when Ripples was located and returned to its carrier.
Speaking to CBC News, passenger Kyle Warkentin said: "It's hilarious, really. It's so random."
Mr Warkentin revealed that a flight attendant announced they were searching for an escaped cat. The cabin crew apologised as time ticked by and the cat was still not found.
He added: "Then the engine turned off and the whole power on the plane turned off, and they said they were doing this to calm the cat."
Air Canada permits small animals to be taken as hand luggage on all flights expect for those to Hawaii. They must be housed in a carrier, which must fit under the passenger's seat.
Warning over norovirus in Iowa
People in Iowa suffering stomach ache and vomiting have been warned to stay at home following an outbreak of norovirus.
The Iowa Department of Public Health said that recent weeks have seen rising numbers of people suffering with the stomach bug.
Britons travelling to the area may want to keep a close eye on further reports of the outbreak, and they should also look into purchasing
medical travel insurance before they depart.
Norovirus is highly contagious and can be easily passed on in hotels, restaurants and other busy places. People with the condition suffer sickness and stomach cramps, among other symptoms.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention figures show that norovirus is behind more than 20 million gastroenteritis every year in the US.
Dr Patricia Quinlisk, the Iowa Department of Public Health medical director, said: "With this virus in our communities and because it is so easy to spread, we need everybody to stay home when they are ill with diarrhoea and vomiting.
"There's no vaccine and no antibiotics for norovirus. It can spread in food, in the air, by shaking hands and by touching things like door knobs that an ill person has touched. So the only way to stop its spread is for those who are ill to stay home."
Golf course open for booking 24/7
If you're a golf lover who finds the game never stops, you'll be excited to hear you can now book exclusive tee times online 24/7.
Whether you fancy a game near to home or are planning a golfing break in the US, GolfNow.com allows you to book on to thousands of courses in North America and the UK.
Forget having to call your dream golf course or fret about securing a spot when you land in the US. Simply log on and book a time which suits your schedule and budget. And you don't even have to be at your computer to book - you can do it on your mobile.
GolfNow.com offers access to golf courses from 49 US states, Canada and Ireland, and is partnered with more than 3,400 courses throughout North America and the UK.
But wherever you go, you'll need comprehensive
sports travel insurance to protect you against any golfing glitches.
Some 35 new courses throughout the US and Canada signed up to GolfNow.com in the past two weeks alone.
US ski resorts welcome snow storms
Managers at Sierra Nevada ski resorts in the US which have been relying on artificial means to cover their slopes have breathed a sigh of relief after up to two feet of snow fell in the region.
The resorts at Lake Tahoe had been using snow-making machines to stay open until the storms arrived, with another weather system set to drop at least a further 15in on the mountains.
"It's great to have Mother Nature lending a hand," said Andy Chapman of the North Lake Tahoe Resort Association.
But for those heading abroad to get their skiing fix for the season, the lack of natural snow should not be the only concern.
While snow-making machines can ensure the opportunity to ski is available should the snow not arrive, the holiday could be ruined by an accident on the slopes, especially if heading away without
sports travel insurance.
Despite the new snow, Sierra ski resorts still offered limited operations, with the Tahoe basin snowpack only at a quarter of its normal amount for this time of year.
UK hikes tropical disease spending
Britain will raise its spending five times to help the international effort to wipe out infectious tropical diseases, with an increase from £50 million to £245 million.
The rise will take effect from 2011 to 2015 with the extra funding helping to protect more than 140 million people, said the Department for International Development (DFID). The magnitude of the problem emphasises the need for travellers to always ensure they are covered with
medical travel insurance.
Funding for the worldwide effort of the Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs) project is part of a move to eliminate such diseases as river blindness and elephantiasis, said International Development Minister Stephen O'Brien.
Each year, NTDs affect a billion people and kill half a million. Now the extra cash will go towards supplying more than four treatments every second for people in the developing world for the next four years.
The extra aid from Britain largely concentrates on lymphatic filariasis (elephantiasis), onchocerciasis (river blindness), schistosomiasis (bilharzia) and dracunculiasis (Guinea Worm).
A London conference on January 30 will see the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation join forces with other bodies such as governments and NGOs in making commitments to tackle NTDs.
Delhi fog causes passenger delays
Thick fog caused havoc for rail and air passengers in Delhi last week, as visibility plunged and winds howled.
The heavy mist which descended on the capital saw visibility plunge below 50m at IGI Airport, forcing staff to close the new runway 29/11.
More than 200 flights were delayed by between one and six hours, while four flights were diverted and 11 cancelled.
Holidaymakers with comprehensive
travel insurance should have been protected, while those who did not may have had their plans scuppered.
Visibility was too poor for departures, so only 172 flights managed to operate, most of which were arrivals.
A backlog of domestic flights joined the queue of international flights, which had been asked to taxi to the holding point in 125m visibility. Sources said that after hours of continued fog, international flights had to be taken onto the runway and made to exit from the other end so that the domestic aircraft could operate.
Meanwhile icy northerly winds continued to keep the city in the chill zone during the day.
