The Polish news agency PAP has corrected false reports about an alleged Hepatitis A travel warning for the Czech Republic. CzechTourism in Poland welcomes the correction and emphasises that the Czech Republic remains a safe destination for tourists.
The Polish news agency PAP apologised for inaccurate reports suggesting that the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs had warned its citizens against travelling to the Czech Republic due to an alleged increase in Hepatitis A cases. At the initiative of CzechTourism in Poland, the agency acknowledged its mistake and published a correction regarding the previously circulated false reports.
Some Czech media had also picked up the original report and reported on the alleged recommendation from the Polish Ministry of Foreign Affairs to avoid travelling to the Czech Republic.
In the corrective article, PAP now clearly emphasises that the rise in Hepatitis A cases does not constitute a reason to cancel travel to the Czech Republic, and that, if basic hygiene rules are observed, tourists face no increased risk. The agency also cites official statements from Czech institutions as well as from CzechTourism in Poland.
“Poles are welcome guests in the Czech Republic. They also belong to the nations that travel to us most frequently. In September alone, the number of Polish tourists choosing to visit our country increased by 33 per cent compared to the previous year. This demonstrates how attractive our country is to them,” explained Tomáš Zukal, Director of the CzechTourism foreign office in Poland.
CzechTourism welcomes the agency’s swift response and the publication of the apology, which helps to correct the information and protect the Czech Republic’s reputation as a safe tourist destination.
Authorities and Doctors in the Czech Republic Continue to Urge the Public to Maintain Good Hygiene
As the virus is primarily transmitted through poor hand hygiene, authorities and doctors continue to urge the public to exercise increased caution. Regular handwashing with water and soap remains the simplest and most important form of protection. The key is washing hands for the correct duration – at least ten to twenty seconds – and ideally following this with disinfection.
The symptoms of Hepatitis A initially resemble those of influenza: fever, loss of appetite, nausea and pain in the upper right abdomen. As the illness progresses, jaundice develops – yellowing of the skin and eyes – along with dark urine, lighter-coloured stools and sometimes severe itching, which are typical signs of liver inflammation.
