The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has confirmed it is investigating after several British holidaymakers died following severe stomach illnesses.
The Government body announced on Tuesday that a number of cases have now emerged across the UK.
Six Brits have lost their lives after taking holidays in Cape Verde since January 2023, lawyers have said. Most recently, four of these deaths happened within just a four-month span between August and November 2025.
Law firm Irwin Mitchell is acting for over 1,500 additional tourists who reported becoming gravely unwell following trips to the islands.
The UKHSA issued a new alert on X, previously Twitter, this morning: « We are currently investigating Shigella cases linked to travel to Cape Verde. Regular handwashing with soap and water (especially after the toilet, changing nappies, and before handling food) is the best way to prevent the bacteria from spreading. »
Information in an accompanying graphic adds: « Most people affected had travelled to Cape Verde, mainly staying at hotels in the Santa Maria and Boa Vista areas.
« Shigella can cause watery and bloody diarrhoea, stomach cramps and fever. It can be caught from contaminated food or water, often linked to overseas travel, but can also be transmitted after sex. »
Between October 1 and December 22 2025, there were 137 confirmed UK cases, external, with 109 having recently travelled to Cape Verde. Brendan Wren, professor of microbial pathogenesis at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), told the BBC more than 800 people had been affected in the last three years.
Prof Wren said: « Outbreaks of shigellosis have been occurring in quality hotels on Cape Verde for the past three years, with over 800 people affected. The Shigella bacteria that cause disease don’t just cause nasty diarrhoea; there can be life-threatening complications, particularly for the immunocompromised.
« The source of the outbreaks is still unknown, and it is up to local authorities and tour operators to undertake a full investigation. Water, perhaps from contaminated boreholes, is a possible source. »
He advised travellers to regularly wash hands, to drink boiled or bottled water, and to avoid eating washed salads.
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