- UK and EU health authorities have issued warnings regarding a rise in shigella cases among travellers returning from Cape Verde, a bacterial infection causing severe diarrhoea.
- The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control reported 258 cases linked to Cape Verde travel in 2022, with the UK Health Security Agency noting 112 Cape Verde-linked cases since October 2025, primarily from Santa Maria and Boa Vista.
- Cape Verde's tourism minister, Dr José Luís Sá Nogueira, insists the islands are safe, urging tourists to continue visiting and stating that local health authorities do not classify the situation as an outbreak.
- The minister also refuted claims that shigella caused the deaths of four British holidaymakers, attributing these fatalities to other causes and underlying health conditions, despite reports of gastric illness symptoms.
- While the exact source of infection remains unidentified, with foodborne transmission being plausible, health experts advise travellers to take preventative measures such as using hand sanitiser and carefully selecting food.
IN FULL
