Over 1,700 Britons Sue TUI Over Cape Verde Illnesses

More than 1,700 British holidaymakers have joined legal action against travel company TUI after contracting severe gastrointestinal illnesses during package trips to Cape Verde, with lawyers reporting at least eight fatalities linked to the outbreaks since 2022.

The claimants, represented by law firm Irwin Mitchell, allege that poor hygiene and food safety standards at resorts contributed to infections including Shigella, Salmonella, E. coli, and parasitic diseases such as cryptosporidium. Symptoms like diarrhea, stomach cramps, and fever have led to hospitalizations and long-term health complications among victims, some as young as six months old. Irwin Mitchell has launched High Court proceedings for hundreds of cases involving holidays between 2022 and 2025, with inquiries continuing from individuals who fell ill as recently as two weeks ago. Hotels implicated include several Riu properties on the islands of Sal and Boa Vista, as well as Melia Dunas, Suneo Dunas, and TUI Blue Cabo Verde.

An investigation by the UK Health Security Agency in February identified 112 cases of Shigella and 43 of Salmonella among travelers returning from Cape Verde since October 2025, primarily...