More than 2,000 tourists take legal action after serious outbreak of infections in Cape Verde

More than 2.000 tourists, most of them British, have taken legal action against the operator TUI Group, claiming they contracted serious gastrointestinal infections while on vacation in Cape Verde. Lawyers involved in the case call the situation "unprecedented" and warn that the number of people affected could continue to grow.

According to reports, the tourists were exposed to a number of pathogens, including Shigella, Salmonella, Cryptosporidium, Giardia and Campylobacter. In several cases, the infections resulted in prolonged and disabling symptoms, preventing victims from returning to their work routine.

The lawyer Jatinder Paul, from the firm Irwin Mitchell, said that the scale of the litigation is "enormous" and unparalleled in his two decades of experience. The lawsuits cover tourists who have visited the archipelago in the last three years.

The case also includes the deaths of eight British tourists since 2023, allegedly related to complications from these infections. Among the episodes reported are cases of septicemia and multi-organ failure following severe gastrointestinal infections.

The allegations point to serious failures in hygiene and food safety standards in hotel units, including poorly cooked food, the reintroduction of old food, the presence of pests and poor sanitary conditions. There are also suspected problems with the water supply and treatment, potentially contributing to the spread of pathogens.

The lawyers argue that tour operators have a legal responsibility to ensure that destinations and hotels comply with basic public health standards. However, the TUI Group has denied responsibility in most of the complaints, stating that the hotels involved have been properly audited and meet the required standards.

Individual cases report severe clinical conditions, including hospitalizations, extreme dehydration and multiple infections confirmed by laboratory analyses. Some patients report persistent effects months after returning to the UK.

The infections mentioned are typically transmitted by contaminated water, poorly sanitized food or contact with contaminated surfaces, posing an increased risk for the elderly, children and people with compromised immune systems.

The development of these lawsuits could have significant implications for the tourism sector in Cape Verde, a destination that receives more than a million visitors a year and whose economy depends heavily on tourism.