A widow fears her ex-Royal Navy husband is the latest British victim of the Cape Verde outbreak which has claimed four other UK holidaymakers’ lives by gastric illness.
Four British tourists died between August and November last year after contracting a gastric illness while visiting the African Archipelago. Elena Walsh, 64, Karen Pooley, 64, Mark Ashley, 55, and a father of two from Chester, 52, died after staying in the same five-star Riu hotel chain.
But now a fifth victim of the gastric illness outbreak could have emerged as a 52-year-old retired firefighter’s widow reported that her husband’s death sounded like ‘a carbon copy’ of those before his after he fell ill on the paradise islands.
She wishes to keep the family anonymous but said from the family home in County Durham: ‘We’re still in complete shock over his death. My husband was my soulmate and an absolutely wonderful, loving and caring dad.
‘We never imagined that going on what we thought would be an enjoyable holiday would lead to such traumatic events unfolding.
‘I’d do anything to turn the clock back, but I know nothing can undo what’s happened and how our family will never be the same again.
‘However, I wouldn’t want anyone else to suffer the same experience. People need to be aware of the issues hundreds of holidaymakers to Cape Verde are facing.’
Mass sickness has struck the islands, with over 1,500 Britons falling ill after visiting Cape Verde since October. Researchers have since discovered Shigella bacteria, which can cause potentially life-threatening dysentery, in irrigation water used to wash food, as well as on some imported food.
Part time nurse Elena Walsh from Birmingham with her husband and her son. Mrs Walsh tragically died in Cape Verde after being struck down with a stomach bug at Riu Cabo Verde hotel, next door to the ex-Royal Navy man’s
Karen Pooley with her son. Mrs Pooley died after being airlifted to Tenerife following illness while staying in Cape Verde
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) found that 112 out of the 118 Shigella cases reported between October 2025 and February 2026 were linked to tourists who had visited Cape Verde.
The couple had checked into the Rui Palace Santa Maria with one of their daughters and her boyfriend on August 11. They had paid £6,500 for a week’s stay there for a package holiday with the airline Tui.
Their arrival date was the morning after Mrs Walsh had died following her stay at the Riu Cabo Verde next door. Mr Ashley would stay at Rui Palace Santa Maria in October and die weeks later too.
On the third day of the couple’s family trip, the former Royal Navy serviceman started being sick and suffering from diarrhoea as well as a loss of appetite. He was the only person in their group to get sick.
His widow, a 45-year-old school administrator, said: ‘We’d been to the resort the year before to celebrate my husband’s retirement and enjoyed it so much we booked again to return.
‘However, as soon as we arrived the second time, we couldn’t believe how much it appeared to have changed from our previous holiday.
‘We didn’t expect the poor standards we experienced, especially for the money we paid.
‘When my husband fell ill, he tried to continue but the holiday was ruined. Even more worrying was how his symptoms continued to persist once we got home.
‘He tried to carry on but it was obvious he wasn’t himself and was still suffering.’
He did not get better during the holiday, nor when the group came back on August 18. He spent the next two months housebound, having to go to the loo up to 15 times a day and being unable to eat properly.
His stomach and legs swelled while he lost a lot of weight.
He went to his GP on October 12 who told him to come back in two weeks if he still felt ill. He returned on October 27 but was then rushed to A&E, where doctors had to drain a significant amount of fluid from his stomach.
Despite their intervention, he died six days later on November 2, just over a week before Mr Ashley’s death on November 12 and six days before the father of two from Chester who had stayed at a Riu hotel on another island.
Doctors were baffled by his death, his widow said, who did not raise their recent trip to Cape Verde as she did not think it had anything to do with his illness.
Instead, the cause of his death was recorded as multi-organ failure and alcohol-related liver disease – he had struggled with alcoholism since his father’s death. No post-mortem or tests were done.
Mr Ashley – who died in the UK four weeks after his return – and Mrs Walsh – who died in Cape Verde – both had gastroenteritis recorded as one cause of death on their death certificates.
But it is not clear what the actual cause of death was for any of those killed by the illness, as none were tested for Shigella or other pathogens. All the other four cases had underlying medical conditions.
Mark Ashley (back left) died four weeks after his return to the UK from Cape Verde after he fell ill on holiday. His death was just over a week after the ex-fireman’s in Durham
Jane Pressley, 62, from Gainsborough, died in January 2023 after staying at Riu Palace Hotel in Santa Maria, in Sal, where the the firefighter and his family and Mr Ashley would stay in 2025
Jane Pressley in hospital. Her family is suing over claims she died due to a serious tummy bug she picked up while at the hotel
Two other Brits have died since January 2023 after falling ill following their visit to Cape Verde. Jane Pressley, 62, of Gainsborough, died in January 2023 and another unnamed man in his 60s died in November 2024.
Both of their families have instructed lawyers to investigate further to see if they are connected with the Shigella outbreak, but this has not been independently verified.
A case involving 300 claimants related to illness after visiting Cape Verde is already underway in the High Court. More than 1,700 other holidaymakers have instructed lawyers to investigate the circumstances around their illnesses too since 2022.
The areas most heavily affected are the Sal and Boa Vista islands where Shigella was discovered in irrigation water and fresh food.
Ten researchers, two of whom were from the World Health Organisation, took part in the month-long investigation into the outbreak, where they discovered Shigella and presented 156 samples – from drinking water, fresh food, food-handling surfaces, food handlers, irrigation water and medical samples – to Cape Verde public health authorities.
While officials acknowledged some tourists may have been infected, they said positive samples fell within surveillance parameters so did not constitute an illness outbreak.
Shigella is transmitted when someone comes in contact with faecal matter through sex, soiled nappies, food or water.
After the bacteria was discovered, authorities issued recommendations to businesses, including strengthening disinfection processes for fresh produce throughout the production, import, and distribution chain as well as intensifying inspection activities.
Jatinder Paul, the expert international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell leading the team representing families of the Brits who died, said: ‘We continue to be contacted by hundreds more people reporting all too familiar and worrying first-hand accounts of how their holidays have been ruined by serious illness.
‘While our focus remains on establishing the full facts of how these holidaymakers fell ill, this latest development is of great concern.
‘Shigella is highly contagious. Eating or drinking contaminated food or water is one of the most common ways of transmitting the infection, and only a small number of bacteria is required to cause infection.
‘We’d urge those planning on travelling to Cape Verde over the coming weeks and months to ensure they eat fully cooked, steaming hot meals, always select fruits they can peel and avoid raw vegetables and salads.
‘While it’s too late for those who have already suffered life-changing consequences following illness linked to holidays, it’s vital that tour operators – who are responsible for ensuring the safety of those who have booked all-inclusive package holidays – and authorities get on top of the reported hygiene issues on the islands.
‘Those affected by illness shouldn’t feel pressured into accepting early settlement offer from tour operators without understanding their full legal rights. We strongly advise seeking independent legal advice.
‘The effects of gastric illness should never be downplayed as symptoms can lead to life-long and debilitating complications and even death.’
Tui told the Daily Mail it was unable to comment without customer details.
The Daily Mail has contacted Riu for a comment.
