Six Brits die from severe stomach bug in holiday hotspot as thousands flood ‘war zone’ hospital after dea...
A DEADLY stomach bug outbreak that left six Brits dead and 1,500 sick has sparked a bombshell legal move.
Four holidaymakers died in just three months in holiday resorts in Cape Verde last year as Brits described “war zone” hospitals flooded with patients.
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Elena Walsh died after suffering a severe illness while on a luxury holiday in Cape VerdeCredit: SWNS
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Karen Pooley, 64, pictured with her son, also died after coming down with a sickness and diarrhoea bugCredit: PA
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Cape Verde is a popular British tourist destinationCredit: Getty
UK law firm Irwin Mitchell are representing the families of all six Brit holidaymakers who have died in that time – as well as more than 1,500 other people who have fallen ill after visits to Cape Verde.
All of them were staying in a RIU hotel – a Spanish chain with six resorts on the island – on all-inclusive breaks.
The highly contagious bacterial infection, known as shigella, most recently hit the island at the end of 2025.
Following the deaths, government officials in Cape Verde organised a “high-level meeting” on December 18, to look into the worrying health issues.
Among the victims was 64-year-old Elena Walsh who was staying at a five star resort in Cape Verde when she began feeling unwell.
The mum had paid £5,000 for a “trip of a lifetime” with her family.
But on August 8, Elena began to feel unwell, suffering sickness, diarrhoea and sweating.
She was raced to a clinic for treatment before being rushed to a hospital when her condition worsened before passing away just two days later while still in hospital.
Heartbroken husband Patrick said the family had grave concerns about the hygiene standards at the hotel during their 12 night stay.
Food was often served lukewarm and had not been cooked properly while the care Elena received was “chaotic” in the run up to her death, he said.
Mark Ashley, 55, from Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire also died after the holiday from hell.
The self-employed forklift truck driver developed severe stomach pain, diarrhoea, vomiting, fever and lethargy three days into a two-week all-inclusive holiday with wife Emma in October.
Dad-of-two Mark, who had been staying at the five-star RIU Palace Santa Maria resort in Sal, collapsed at home a few weeks after returning from the £3,000 trip.
He was rushed to hospital but pronounced dead on arrival.
Emma, 55, said their family are in “complete shock” and “deserve answers” about what happened.
She said: “We went to Cape Verde expecting a relaxing break, but Mark became violently ill and never recovered…The last couple of months have been unbearable, and our family will never be the same again.”
The early years assistant manager said food at the hotel was often “lukewarm” and “sanitisation seemed poor”. She also noted that drinking water was stored outside in the sun.
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Mark Ashley, top left, from Houghton Regis, Bedfordshire also died after a family holiday from hellCredit: PA
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Elena, left, with her husband, Patrick and their son, Sean and his fiance GemmaCredit: SWNS
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The most recent bacterial outbreak at the end of 2025 affected hundreds of holidaymakersCredit: Getty
She flagged Mark’s illness on the TUI app but said they received no meaningful assistance.
His death has been reported to the coroner, with investigations still ongoing.
Karen Pooley, 64, from Lydney in Gloucestershire, also died after coming down with a sickness and diarrhoea bug while staying at the RIU Funana resort in Sal with a friend the same month.
The mum-of-two, who also broke her leg after slipping on water in the hotel, was transferred to a local clinic where her condition deteriorated.
She was airlifted to an intensive care unit in Tenerife, but died five days later.
Her cause of death was given as multi-organ failure, sepsis, cardiac arrest and a broken left leg.
Karen’s husband Andy, 62, said he and their two children have been left “utterly heartbroken”.
He slammed the medical centre and TUI for “poor” communication, adding: “We’re devastated and struggling to understand how she went on holiday and never came home.”
Shigella is caused by contaminated faeces and is transmitted from food, water, or person-to-person.
The bowel infection – most common in young children – usually clears up on its own after a few days, but can be serious for people with underlying medical conditions.
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Elena Walsh (middle) with her husband, Patrick (left) and their son Sean (right)Credit: SWNS
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Karen’s husband Andy, 62, said he and their two children have been left ‘utterly heartbroken’Credit: PA
Serious injury lawyer Jatinder Paul of Irwin Mitchell, who is representing the families of the victims said the other two Britons who died since 2023 are Jane Pressley, 62, of Gainsborough.
She passed away in January 2023 after falling ill at the Riu Palace Hotel in Santa Maria, Sal.
A man in his 60s from Watford, died in November 2024 after suffering a gastric illness.
The UK Health Security Agency recorded 137 cases of the bug between October and December – 80 per cent of patients had recently returned from Cape Verde.
In December, the Foreign Office issued a warning about the outbreak to Brits travelling to the island.
Paul described the number of tourists becoming ill as “truly staggering”.
He said: “Each case isn’t a statistic; it’s a human story of how lives have been turned upside down.”
Several group action lawsuits are expected to be listed at the High Court in the coming months.
The first, involving 300 Brits who fell ill after staying at RIU Palace in 2022, will be heard in February.
TUI and RIU Hotels & Resorts gave a statement to The Sunday Times saying they were “deeply saddened” by the deaths and offered their “heartfelt condolences to the families affected”.
The Sun has approached both companies for comment.
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Cape Verde is a dream holiday destination for many BritsCredit: Getty
