Fires in Chile’s popular tourist city of Valparaiso force thousands to evacuate

Over 10,000 people have been forced to evacuate the popular port city of Valparaiso in Chile. Forest fires spread to the city on Saturday night and the fast moving fire has so far killed 12 of the city’s residents.

Over 1,200 firefighters have been tackling the blaze and Chilean President Michelle Bachelet has put the army in charge of evacuation declaring the city a disaster zone and putting security forces on the streets to maintain order and prevent looting.

Valparaiso is a popular tourist destination and strong Pacific winds which have hampered the emergency response and have pushed the fire deeper into the city’s surrounding neighbourhoods. This has led to fears that the fire could spread to the centre of the city and the Unesco World Heritage Site old centre, which includes the former house turned museum of world-famous Latin American poet Pablo Neruda.

Large parts of the city are without electricity and there are fears for residents’ health due to smoke inhalation.

Fires are frequent during the hot summer months in central Chile. This is the second emergency the country has faced this year, as only 2 weeks ago a 8.2 earthquake and subsequent tsunami hit northern Chile.

If you have been affected by the evacuation of Valparaiso due to the forest fires then International Travel and Healthcare clients are supported by emergency assistance providers Specialty Assist and Global Response, both based here in the UK.   If you require evacuation, repatriation, medical assistance the following numbers will be able to help you:   Clients travelling with a Fit-4-Travel policy who require emergency assistance should contact Global Response on: +44 (0) 203 538 0492 Clients travelling on one of our Single Trip, Annual Multi-Trip or Cruise policies should contact Specialty Assist on: +44 (0) 207 902 7405     

Northern Europe - the new top destination for cruise holidays

Northern Europe - the new top destination for cruise holidays

2013 was a record year for the UK cruise industry as UK port embarkations passed the one million point for the first time. UK residents take over 2 million cruises each year, and an increasing number of travellers take more than 1 cruise a year. The UK is Europe’s biggest cruise market and accounts for an average of 27% of all cruise passengers on board a ship. 2014 will see the introduction of 24 more cruise ships into this constantly evolving and fast growing market.

2013 saw Europe as the destination of choice for one in three British cruise passengers, with the Mediterranean retaining its title as the most popular route for cruises. But 2013 also saw an increase of 20% of cruise passengers visiting Northern Europe and if this trend continues it could mean that 2014 sees the Mediterranean fall into second place as the cruise destination of choice for the first time. River cruising has also continued to grow with 20,000 Britons taking European river cruise holidays in 2013.

With breath-taking landscapes and historic cities, Europe has something for everyone and over the last decade the range of cruise choices in Europe has opened up a host of new destinations including Greenland, the Norwegian fjords and the polar islands. 2014 will also mark the 70^th anniversary of the D-Day landings and a number of ocean and river cruises will be visiting the Normandy beaches as part of the memorial tributes to those who fell. 

If you are planning a cruise holiday then taking out a good travel insurance policy should be paramount in your pre-trip plans. All cruise operators require their passengers to have valid travel insurance. Cruise Insurance by Onestop4: is specifically designed to offer everything a cruise traveller really needs from their insurance. Onestop4:Cruise Insurance offers cancellation cover for the full value of your holiday, even for a cruise that is £100,000 or more. Onestop4: Cruise Insurance also offers cover for mature travellers up to the age of 100 and for those travelling with pre-existing medical conditions – subject to a free and fast medical screening.

Fit-4-Travel Insurance, also available from Onestop4: is perfect for River Cruises – with no age restrictions and subject to acceptance following a medical screening, is capable of offering cover for travellers with the most significant medical conditions.

Onestop4 Cruise Insurance and Fit-4-Travel Insurance is available via the Onestop4 website or by calling 0800 848 8448.

http://www.onestop4.co.uk

Ebola Outbreak

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has declared the Ebola virus outbreak in West Africa as "one of the most challenging" it has ever faced. The number of people who have been killed by the virus in Guinea has passed 100, and it has also killed 10 people in Liberia.

The World Health Organisation has stated that it could take up to four months to subdue the outbreak.

The Ebola virus is spread by close contact and has a high mortality rate as there is no known cure. As many West African states have porous borders and people frequently travel between countries this has raised fears about the virus spreading. Mali is currently on high alert and has stated it will tighten its borders.

This is the first known outbreak of the virus in Guinea as the most recent Ebola cases have been thousands of miles away in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Uganda.

Regarding travel to West Africa the WHO website has stated that ‘The risk of infection for travellers is very low since most human infections result from direct contact with the body fluids or secretions of infected patients, particularly in hospitals (nosocomial transmission) and as a result of unsafe procedures, use of contaminated medical devices (including needles and syringes) and unprotected exposure to contaminated body fluids. Travellers should avoid all contact with infected patients.’

‘Anyone who stayed in the areas where EVD cases have been recently reported should be aware of the symptoms of infection and advised to seek medical attention at the first sign of illness.’ Finally WHO has stated that at the present time it ‘does not recommend that any travel or trade restrictions be applied in respect to this event.’

For more information on symptoms and updates on the spread of the virus and any affects this may have on travel please visit http://www.who.int/mediacentre/en/