Two guests at Egypt hotel where Brit couple died have 'highly infectious bacterial infection shigella'

Patrick Grafton-Green5 September 2018

Two guests evacuated from a hotel in Egypt where a British couple died are reported to have the highly infectious bacterial infection shigella .

The mother and her young daughter are said to be part of a family of four who fell ill while on holiday in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada.

They were among the guests evacuated from the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel after John and Susan Cooper died suddenly on August 21.

An environmental health officer told them that samples showed they were suffering from the infection, the Daily Telegraph reports.

Shigella can cause diarrhoea and stomach cramps, and is a common cause of food poisoning.

The couple were staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in the Red Sea resort of Hurghada
Steigenberger Aqua Magic

A lawyer for the unnamed family said it was a "crucial development", and could indicate that "pathogens were present at the property".

Nick Harris, from law firm Simpson Millar, told the paper: "If you have an illness problem in an all-inclusive property with several hundred guests moving around, you can either close the place for a deep clean or attempt to deal with it while the guests remain in situ.

"If you believe it's in the water, additional chlorine might be added to it in an attempt to kill the bug, so it's important to find out things such as what the Coopers drank that evening before they collapsed.

"If there was a sickness bug that the hotel knew about, how did they deal with it?"

Thomas Cook moved 300 guests out of the hotel as a precaution 24 hours after Mr and Mrs Cooper died after becoming aware of an increased number of illnesses.

Chief executive Peter Fankhauser previously confirmed that 13 customers had food poisoning but were not in a serious condition.

Mr Fankhauser flew to Cairo on Wednesday to discuss the deaths with prime minister Dr Mostafa Madbouly and minister of tourism Rania Al-Mashat.

Following the meeting, Ms Al-Mashat said "detailed autopsies" were being conducted by a team of forensic pathologists. The process is expected to be concluded next week.

A separate investigation led by Egyptian prosecutor Nabil Sadeq is testing food, water and air conditioning at the hotel.

An inspection of the Coopers' hotel bedroom is said to have found no harmful gas emissions or leaks.

Thomas Cook pledged to continue to work with the Egyptian authorities and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to "prioritise the very best interests of the Cooper family".

The spokesman added: "The well-being of our customers in Egypt remains of paramount importance."

The travel company has commissioned its own tests into food hygiene and air conditioning at the hotel, although it has not been granted access to the Coopers' room. The results are due in the middle of next week.

Additional reporting by Press Association

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