Covid symptoms: Travel warning as cases of Covid-19 surge in popular holiday hotspots including Greece, Cyprus and Portugal

Greece's health authority has reported a worrying spike in Covid cases, three times higher than the same week last year, with 669 people hospitalised. In just one week, the number of detected infections in Greece has doubled.

Cases have also doubled in Cyprus, Belgium and Ireland. Malta has experienced an almost 400% increase in Covid cases in recent months, according to i, with the World Health Organisation noting a similar surge in Luxembourg. Significant increases have also been recorded in Portugal, the Netherlands, Poland and Norway. In Portugal, the number of cases recorded surged by 700% between May and June, hitting 10,000 in July, reports the Liverpool Echo.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has issued a stark warning to those planning summer holidays. It urges holidaymakers to take Covid precautions such as getting vaccinated, wearing masks and getting tested. The WHO stressed that the pandemic is far from over, with the virus still claiming 1,700 lives globally each week.

The WHO continues to advise travellers to wear well-fitted masks, maintain hand hygiene, get tested if they exhibit Covid-19 symptoms before travelling, and consider staying home if unwell. While most countries and airlines no longer mandate vaccination, the WHO's primary advice is to ensure your vaccine is up-to-date prior to travel.

The latest Covid symptoms include fatigue, sore throat, congestion, runny nose, headache, body aches, and cough - similar to symptoms seen earlier in the pandemic. Loss of taste and smell has become less common.

Some individuals may experience conjunctivitis (pink eye) or gastrointestinal issues like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhoea, though these are rarer. In light of Covid cases surging abroad the Foreign Office has issued a new warning to holidaymakers.

It reads: “Other countries may still have Covid-19 rules that you must follow to travel there from the UK." It recommends that travellers should "Check the 'Entry requirements' section of foreign travel advice for all countries you will visit or travel through."