MOSCOW - The head of Russia's consumer protection agency has advised Russians not to travel out of the country over the 10-day New Year's holiday - because of an array of health risks.
Security risks already have been cited as reasons not to travel to Thailand and to some of Russians' other favourite vacation spots like Egypt and Turkey.
But now Anna Popova, head of Rospotrebnadzor, told the Interfax news agency on Saturday that Russians should also be wary of travelling to Europe and the United States as well.
In Europe, she claimed refugees from Syria were increasing the risks of getting an infection. In the US, she pointed to the 10-15 cases of bubonic plague recorded this year.
The Russian government has been trying to encourage citizens to spend their vacations and their money at home.