Overview
- UKHSA is investigating a rise in Shigella sonnei, with 109 of 137 UK cases since October 2025 linked to recent travel to Cape Verde.
- Cape Verde health teams have begun contact tracing and ordered enhanced cleaning across homes, hotels and restaurants to curb transmission.
- No formal travel restrictions are in place, and officials say government guidance—now updated—can influence refund options for travellers seeking to cancel or switch trips.
- Reports note four British holidaymaker deaths from gastric illness earlier this month, intensifying public concern alongside the rise in travel‑linked infections.
- Travel-health experts urge strict hand hygiene, treated or bottled water, and avoidance of raw or undercooked food, while the UK Foreign Office advises comprehensive insurance because local medical facilities are basic and GHIC is not accepted.