Holidaymakers Complain Of Gastric Illness Following Stay At Five-Star Resort

Specialist international personal injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have been instructed by 16 holidaymakers who fell ill this summer after staying the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel in Egypt.

Lawyers at Irwin Mitchell have now started investigations after receiving reports of illness among guests who stayed at the five-star resort in Hurghada in April, June and August of this year. Among those who have fallen ill during holidays taken in August is a 16-year-old girl from Birmingham who was admitted to hospital following her return to the UK.

Husband and wife, John and Susan Cooper, of Burnley, died suddenly last week whilst staying at the hotel. Investigations by the local authorities and tour operator, Thomas Cook, to establish what caused the deaths of the couple, aged 69 and 63, are under way. However, tests results are not expected for at least several days.

Expert Opinion

We are advising a growing group of holidaymakers caught up in these problems. We have heard a number of concerning first-hand accounts from people who were staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel this summer and who fell ill with serious gastrointestinal symptoms which, for many, have required hospital admissions.

“We are now investigating these accounts to determine the cause of illness. As part of our investigations we would like to hear from other guests who may have information about conditions at the hotel this summer.

“Sadly, this is not the first occasion where we have been instructed to act for holidaymakers who have suffered illness, including Salmonella, following stays at this hotel, as we also represent people who have fallen ill with serious gastric illness in 2016 and 2017.

“However, it is important to stress that the investigation into the sad deaths of John and Susan Cooper is continuing by the tour operator and the authorities. Therefore, it would be inappropriate at this stage to draw any comparisons between our investigations and those being carried out by the Egyptian authorities, or to speculate as to whether this is a link to this issues which we have been advised of.”
Amandeep Dhillon - Partner

Case study

Isobel Westwood, 16, has revealed how she was diagnosed with gastroenteritis after staying at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic.

The teenager, from Northfield, Birmingham, jetted off for a 12-day all-inclusive break at the resort, booked through Thomas Cook, with her boyfriend and his mum earlier this month.

Isobel suffered with illness during her holiday and her symptoms deteriorated upon her return home on 20 August. She visited her GP on the evening of 20 August and was prescribed antibiotics.

On the evening of 21 August Isobel was taken by ambulance to Queen Elizabeth Hospital complaining sickness, diarrhoea and stomach cramps where she was kept in overnight before being discharged. On 23 August Isobel was taken back to hospital where she was diagnosed with food poisoning.

She said: “I was really looking forward to the holiday but within days I started feeling unwell. The restaurant was dirty, food seemed to be undercooked and left out to stand uncovered so flies could land on it and there was poo washed up on the side of the pool.

“I tried to carry on but it was really difficult and I just wanted to go home to my mum and dad.

“When I got home the pain kept getting worse. It was so bad that I couldn’t sleep and felt like I didn’t have the strength to even walk. The pain eventually got so bad that my mum had to call an ambulance.

“When I went on holiday I never expected that I would end up in hospital a couple of weeks later.”

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