Health Alert: British Experts Warn Tourists of Unsafe Tap Water in Morocco and Croatia

British experts have warned British tourists of the risk of "unpleasant" illness in ten popular tourist destinations, including Morocco and Croatia. They believe these countries do not have full access to drinking water, reports the Birmingham Live newspaper. Mexico has 43% access to drinking water, Costa Rica 80% and Croatia 82%, while Morocco has 79%. According to the experts, the limited access to drinking water in these countries could expose tourists to the risk of contracting diseases. They advise them to avoid drinking tap water and only consume "bottled or filtered water". "It is worrying to find that many popular holiday destinations do not have drinking water. This could mean that millions of tourists risk contracting serious illnesses. This can range from a minor stomach upset to a serious incident requiring hospitalization," warns Andy Ellis, an expert at Posh.co.uk.

Contaminated water and poor sanitation are among the causes of the transmission of diseases such as cholera, diarrhea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid and polio. "If you are traveling to countries where access to drinking water is dangerous, make sure to use only bottled or filtered water and keep your mouth closed while showering. The same goes for brushing your teeth, use only clean bottled water, otherwise you could apply bad bacteria directly to your gums. Some hotels may warn that tap water is not potable, but if you are hiking and staying in a hostel, the likelihood of being warned is low," advises Andy Ellis.

However, the expert says he in no way intends to discourage tourists from visiting these countries: "We don’t want to discourage anyone from visiting these countries, as there are extraordinary sites to discover and experiences to live, just make sure to be very careful when it comes to water consumption."