The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a health alert for travellers to a popular winter sun destination following a significant outbreak of a bacterial infection.
Sharp Rise in Infections Prompts Investigation
Since the start of October, UK health authorities have recorded a sharp increase in cases of shigella among people returning from Cape Verde. The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) highlighted the outbreak in its weekly communicable disease threats report. Of 137 confirmed UK cases, 109 individuals had recently visited the Atlantic archipelago.
Symptoms of the infection, which is a leading cause of bacterial diarrhoea globally, typically include bloody diarrhoea (dysentery), fever, and stomach cramps. The ECDC report indicates the outbreak is linked to a specific hotel or resort chain, mirroring a similar incident in 2022 that evolved rapidly.
Recurring Outbreak at All-Inclusive Resorts
The current situation is described as a recurrent outbreak of gastrointestinal illness. The ECDC stated that available interviews from 2025 point to the involvement of the same hotel chain implicated previously. Most cases from the 2022 outbreak had stayed in five-star, all-inclusive hotels in the Santa Maria region on the island of Sal.
Officials have not yet named the specific hotels affected in the latest cluster. The FCDO has underscored the limited medical facilities in Cape Verde, noting they are basic and some medicines can be in short supply. The largest hospitals are in Praia and Mindelo, with services particularly limited on Boa Vista.
Transmission Risks and Health Advice
While the exact source remains under investigation, the most likely cause of the shigella spread is contaminated food or water. The infection can also transmit from person to person through poor hygiene or sexual contact.
According to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, most people recover from shigella within five to seven days without antibiotic treatment. However, the infection can pose severe, sometimes life-threatening risks to very young children or individuals with weakened immune systems.
The FCDO and ECDC have emphasised that the underlying cause requires further investigation so that effective mitigation measures can be implemented to prevent future cases.
