Simon Cowell has said that X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole is recovering well from malaria. He revealed that he had received a message from the popstar, in which she said she was getting better and feeling ‘perky’.

Cole fell ill with the potentially life-threatening disease after a trip to Tanzinia three weeks ago with one of her dancers, Derek Hough, 25.

She was released from the intensive care department of University College Hospital at the start of the weekend and since has checked into a private hospital in London.  The star has been forced to pull out of a string of work commitments, including the ‘bootcamp’ stage of X-Factor and various appearances, such as at the V Festival next month.

Cowell has said he is committed to ensuring that Cole does not return to work before she is ready and has promised to have a conversation with her about it. He also revealed that she is expected to be released from hospital in the next few days.

In the meantime, a host of celebs have put themselves forward to fill Cheryl’s shoes until she returns, including Jordan, who -  despite admitting that she can’t sing  - claims that the fact that she’s ‘still got ears and can still hear things and can see looks’ makes her ideally qualified. While this could make for some fabulous TV, no doubt Simon Cowell is praying that Cole recovers from the malaria before Jordan manages to strong-arm her way onto his set!

Research by Sainsbury’s has shown that British travellers are putting their travel insurance in jeopardy by not informing their insurers of any pre-existing health conditions.

The survey for the supermarket, which sells travel insurance, revealed that more than half a million Brits last year went abroad without disclosing to their travel insurers information about a long-term medical complaint they had. Doing so could potentially invalidate any claim that they subsequently make.

245,000 holidaymakers failed to disclose that they suffered from severe back pain; 110,000 did not ensure that their cover took into account a respiratory condition and 50,000 were not honest about a heart condition.

When questioned about why they did not reveal their full medical history, various reasons cited included a fear that they would be refused cover, a belief that their condition was irrelevant or that it was an embarrassment to them.

Equally disturbing was the news that 8% of people who went abroad this year took out no travel insurance at all! Not getting proper health insurance could mean that travellers get hit with crippling costs should they fall ill abroad so it might save a few pounds before you travel but think about being hit with a $25,000 U.S. hospital bill like one of my very careless friends was last year. Not feeling so clever now Mr!

You have probably already heard the news that Cheryl Cole has contracted malaria while she was holidaying in Tanzania. We have heard that she did take some form of preventative treatment but did not start the medication prior to arriving in Tanzania.

It is necessary to take an appropriate medication for the malaria that is present in the region being visited. Malarone would have been an appropriate treatment for Tanzania and unlike most malaria treatments (which have to be started a few weeks before travel) this one can be taken a day or two before you set out on your trip but it must be continued for one week after you return.

The UK has the largest number of people who import malaria back into the UK after a holiday than anywhere else in the industrialized world. Malaria can be fatal but it usually responds to medication and there are only a few fatalities in the UK each year. Having said that, it is not a nice disease to have and it is so easy to prevent.

The Online Clinic established an anti-malaria service a few weeks ago to make it easier for people to access the sort of treatment that they need for their trip. The unfortunate incident involving the much loved Cheryl Cole simply serves to highlight the need to take precautions when travelling to malarious regions.

British travellers have been advised to speak to their own doctors before travelling, rather than relying on the advice of friends or relatives.

TV doctor Pixie McKenna has urged people to speak to their doctor 6 to 8 weeks before they travel, to make sure that they are taking the right precautions for their trip. This could ensure that travellers are protected against malaria if they travel to an area where it is present, or know how to reduce their chances of developing the dreaded stomach flu.

She warned that many travellers still believe myths and old wives tales about staying healthy abroad, such as the old colonial myth that drinking gin and tonic protects against malaria and that dogs with Rabies look unfriendly.

She spoke out as part of a new initiative called 8 Weeks to Go, which is designed to raise awareness amongst holidaymakers of the steps they need to take to protect themselves while abroad.  The campaign is funded by GlaxoSmithKline’s Travel Health and supported by the NHS’ Fit for Travel program and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Organisers of the campaign say that 1 in every 2 travellers has fallen ill or hurt themselves while abroad and have warned that Brits are some of the biggest importers of malaria in the world.

The Foreign Office is also urging people to make sure they have travel insurance in place before they go abroad, as the costs of falling ill overseas can be astronomical if you are not prepared.

Andy Murray is starring in a new advert to highlight the dangers of malaria and the importance of using mosquito nets. He has agreed to help out the charity, Malaria No More UK, which campaigns to raise awareness about the potentially life-threatening disease. The charity, founded in 2009 and supported by footballer David Beckham, has a pledge that every penny donated by the public to them is spent directly on the ground in Africa to support prevention and treatment programs.

The advert will feature the tennis champ building up for a smash serve, only to stop when he realises there is no net. As he waits for someone to bring a net, he is then shown performing a few flashy moves.

He has said that he wanted to take part in the advert as, though the disease is preventable, it still claims the lives of 2,000 people each day in Africa. The dead are largely children, as they have not had time to build up immunity to the disease.

Those travelling to areas where malaria is present are particularly vulnerable to infection. Travellers are recommended to take anti-malarial medication during their trip to protect them and to always sleep under mosquito nets. However, though mosquito nets are relatively cheap for those in the West, many in Africa are forced by their price to go without.

AIDs groups in South Africa have claimed that FIFA is stalling over making condoms available to football fans, putting at risk many travellers unaware of the AIDS epidemic ravaging the country.

South Africa has the world’s largest number of people carrying HIV, with estimates putting the number of South Africans infected at 5.7 million. Every day, there are 1,400 new infections.

The huge influx of tourists that the world cup will bring – and it is well know that tourists are more likely to drink and engage in risky sexual behaviour – means that sexual health needs to be a priority, to ensure that the supporters do not contract the disease while on holiday.

However according to a group of AIDS charities, Fifa’s tight regulations on advertising, which ensure that only official sponsors can be shown inside the stadium, mean that fans are not going to be given condoms or sufficient advice on sexual health.mThis is despite the South African government making 71 million condoms available, with a further 65million held in reserve.

The organisations, which include the AIDS Consortium and Treatment Action Campaign, say that FIFA has ignored their demands for an urgent meeting to discuss their concerns; though FIFA says that it is unaware of any such request.

FIFA has been especially criticized for welcoming advertising for alcohol, while stymying efforts to protect football fans against HIV.