Swine flu spreads and Foreign Office advises against travel to Mexico

As swine flu spreads, the Foreign Office has now advised against all but essential travel to Mexico.

Following the spread of swine flu, the World Health Organisation (WHO) has raised the level of flu pandemic alert from level 3 to level 4.

This indicates that the likelihood of a pandemic has increased but is not inevitable.

WHO have concluded that ‘containment of the outbreak is not feasible.’

As well as advising against all but essential travel to Mexico, the Foreign Office has also said that British nationals ‘resident in or visiting Mexico may wish to consider whether they should remain in Mexico at this time.’

As a result of this advice against travel, there are implications for travel insurance policies which should be checked if you already have flights or holidays booked to this destination.

Thomson and First Choice, owned by TUI Travel, have cancelled flights from Manchester and Gatwick today to Cancun. It is also organising to repatriate those already holidaying in Mexico.

Decisions about flights from 29 April will be made by Thomson and First Choice later today, Tuesday.

According to Thomson and First Choice, customers can either make a free change to their booking or cancel their holiday and get a full refund.