Is Portugal safe? Latest travel advice as coronavirus cases hit 41 and thousands of flights are cancelled

PORTUGAL’S coronavirus cases are continuing to rise, with 41 people infected.

As the country’s flag carrier cancels 3,500 flights over fears of the virus spreading and flights to Italy are suspended, and the president of the country has self-quarantined, here is all you need to know if you are planning a trip to the country.

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Is it safe to travel to Portugal?

There are no travel restrictions to Portugal due to coronavirus, and Brits will not need to self-quarantine if returning from a holiday.

The current travel advice from the UK government states: “There is an ongoing outbreak of coronavirus (COVID-19) in China, but cases have been confirmed in other countries, including Portugal.

“The Portuguese authorities have introduced measures to limit the spread of the virus.”

The current health advice regarding the spread of coronavirus advises people to cough and sneeze into a tissue or sleeve, before washing it or disposing of it.

It is also advised not to touch eyes, nose or mouth with dirty hands.

The president of Portugal, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, confirmed he had placed himself on self-quarantine for two weeks after visiting a school which had a positive case of coronavirus.

Tents in Porto have been set up for cases of coronavirusCredit: Rex Features

Cases have been reported across Lisbon and PortoCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Coronavirus information in Portugal advises how to wash and prevent the spread of the virusCredit: Getty Images – Getty

A customer in Lisbon, Portugal wears a face mask while shopping amid the outbreakCredit: Getty Images – Getty

Can I cancel my holiday to Portugal?

If you are flying to Portugal in the next few days, then your flights will remain unaffected.

However, you are advised to keep up to date with the latest travel advice as it is likely to change at short notice.

TAP Portugal, the country’s flag carrier has cancelled over 3,500 flights from the country, with routes to France, Spain and Italy affected.

Concerned passengers can contact their airline to find out whether they can change their flights if concerned, but they are unlikely to offer refunds or free changes.

The only time that tour operators are required to give a refund on holiday packages is if the Foreign Office changes its travel advice for a region and turns it into a no-go area, which they have not done in this case.

Independent hotels are not even required to refund money in this instance, so if you have paid in advance and choose not to turn up then you will lose your money.

If the hotel is a large chain, it could be worth asking to change your stay to another location or delay your trip but they are under no obligation to grant this.

Holidaymakers are advised to check with their travel insurance providers to see if there is something they can do, but that is also unlikely

Officials have advised not cancelling your holiday abroad – if you are concerned about your trip, then we explain how you can cancel it.

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