Travellers Make Claims After Contracting Shigella in Cape Verde

It has been confirmed by the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control that there is a continuous outbreak of Shigellosis coming from Cape Verde. Shigella is an infectious illness typically caught through contaminated food and water. It causes severe diarrhoea which can contain blood, as well as stomach pains and vomiting.

Many travellers who have visited Cape Verde complained of poor sanitary conditions and became ill whilst staying there.

In fact, we are representing a number of clients who have confirmed Shigella cases from hotels in Cape Verde including RIU Cabo Verde, RIU Palace, RIU Funana and RIU Touareg and RIU Playacar in Mexico.

If you’ve contracted Shigella during your holiday, Holiday Claims Bureau is ready to assist in making a holiday illness claim on your behalf if you fell ill due to a third party’s negligence. Reach us at 0161 813 2131 or start your claim online.

Shigella Holiday Claims

One of the clients that we are representing in a holiday claim, Jake Slater, from Leeds went away to RIU Cabo Verde in December 2021.

During his holiday, he started to suffer from stomach cramps, diarrhoea and nausea which continued for the rest of his stay and on his return home.

When he returned to the UK, Jake arranged an appointment with his doctor who conducted tests. Following these, it was confirmed that he had contracted Shigella whilst on holiday. He was prescribed antibiotics and his symptoms began to improve. As a result of the illness, he had lost nearly a stone in weight.

We are now making a claim for compensation on behalf of Jake for the losses he suffered as a result of the poor hygiene standards at RIU Cabo Verde.

In addition, we have then been instructed by another client who went on holiday to the same hotel, RIU Cabo Verde in October 2022 and contracted Shigella. Many cases of Shigella have been reported around Europe including in the Netherlands, Denmark, France, Germany and Portugal. It is said that the majority of these were confirmed in August and September 2022.

It is concerning that some 11 months after our client Jake caught Shigella from Cape Verde, the problem is still present at this hotel and has continued to spread throughout Europe.

However, we have seen that not only is Shigella a problem in Cape Verde hotels, but we are also representing clients who have tested positive for Salmonella and E.coli following stays at these same hotels.

Advice for travellers

We are urging travellers to be careful when staying in Cape Verde as they may be exposed to bacteria through poorly maintained hotels. Shigella and other bacterial illnesses tend to be spread through contaminated food, water and surfaces. It is essential to wash your hands thoroughly before eating and after touching surfaces that others may have touched.

If you experience symptoms of gastric illnesses such as a fever, vomiting, diarrhoea, stomach pains or cramps after staying in Cape Verde or any hotel that you believe has poor hygiene conditions, it is recommended that you seek medical attention straight away.

For more information on making a holiday claim after suffering illness in Cape Verde, contact our team of expert holiday claims lawyers by calling 0161 813 2131 or complete our contact form. Where we can advise you on the next steps to take.