CAPE FEAR

Verde travel alert as more than 100 Brits hit by diarrhoea bugs

- BY ANDERS ANGLESEY

TOURISTS have been warned about travel to Cape Verde after more than 100 Brits caught a horror diarrhoea infection.

UK health officials issued the warning to those planning on visiting the West African archipelago for the February half-term holidays.

They noted dozens of previous holidaymakers to the islands had been struck down with shigella and salmonella, both infections that can be caught from eating or drinking contaminated food or drinks.

Six British tourists to the islands who suffered severe gastric illness have died during or shortly after their trips.

A probe led by the UK Health Security Agency found 158 confirmed cases of shigella which causes severe diarrhoea, fever and stomach cramps had been reported since October 1 last year.

It also found 112 of those had travelled to Cape Verde, the majority of which visited the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas. Travel information for the other cases is not known.