Shigella sonnei cases that associated with staying in hotels in Cape Verde, are currently registered in five EU countries: the Netherlands, France, Germany, Denmark and Portugal.
According to Food Safety News, all the revealed facts in the above EU countries are one otherwise associated with travel, i.e. EU citizens contracted Shigella sonnei while outside their countries.
The European Center for Disease Prevention and Control said there is still no official information about the source of the infection. In addition, the agency expects the number of cases of Shigella sonnei infection to increase further as people travel during the winter holiday season.
Tourists who have been infected with Shigella sonnei said symptoms of — pain and discomfort in the abdomen — in some cases kept until they returned home.
Moreover, different groups of travelers experienced the same symptoms. Authorities are planning an investigation to contain the further spread of the infection, as well as prevent similar problems from occurring in the future.
Since most of the sick travelers only ate at the hotels they stayed in, it is logical to assume that there are problems related to hygiene and cleanliness.
In terms of the number of cases of shigella infection, FSN found that nine cases were reported in the Netherlands. All of them traveled to Cape Verde starting in August 2022. The data shows a total of 22 cases have since been reported.
Other countries have reported fewer infections. Denmark reported two infected, France — about nine, Germany — about two, in Portugal only one patient was found. The UK reported 48 people seeking medical attention.
All cases but one are related to a recent trip to Cape Verde. It is expected that the authorities of other countries will also disclose data on this issue in order to take the necessary measures.