Travel warning as holidaymakers struck by parasite
A TRAVEL warning has been issued to Welsh holidaymakers visiting Mexico after 12 tourists were struck down with crippling stomach pains, sickness and diarrhoea after eating contaminated food.
Guests staying at hotels in the Riviera Maya resort and Cancun in Mexico have been struck down with the cyclospora parasite – for the fifth year in a row.
It is understood 38 Welsh tourists have been struck down with the bug, which is spread by contaminated water and food, since 2015.
The same affected areas were subject to a public health warning three years ago.
But it seems lessons from previous outbreaks have not been learned, as the sickness bug has started infecting Welsh tourists again.
Authorities believe the number of victims could rise, as a number of luxury allinclusive hotels in the Riviera Maya resort are believed to already be affected by the latest outbreak.
Now Public Health Wales is advising anyone who has visited the affected resorts and is feeling ill to seek medical attention.
Advice suggests the illness is likely linked to tainted food delivered to luxury all-inclusive hotels in the region.
Nick Harris, head of travel at Cardiffbased Simpson Millar solicitors, which is representing more than 450 victims including Welsh victims caught up in the current and past outbreaks, said: “We have been inundated with people who have fallen ill in the resorts.
“This latest cluster of illness just shows how TUI are playing with the health of their customers.
“So far we have been contacted by people who have fallen ill in five different hotels.
“But I understand there are others affected and, as this is peak season, like other years it has the potential to spread like wildfire.
“Welsh tourists have saved all year only to be let down by their tour operator at the first hurdle.
“They knew this bug is rife in Mexico but haven’t told people, preferring to keep quiet.
“But we have spoken with tourists who said the first they knew of the illness was when letters were given to them in the resort. By then it is too late.
“Tour operators need to do more instead of putting profit before safety of their customers, who have put their trust in them.”
The sickness bug is spread by infected human faeces contaminating water or food, and previous outbreaks have been connected to salad products like mint, lettuce or basil and fresh soft fruits like raspberries.
Public Health Wales said cyclospora most often occurs in tropical and subtropical regions of the world including South and Central America, South and South-East Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
Infection can cause symptoms such as diarrhoea, cramps, nausea, flatulence, loss of appetite, fatigue, low-grade fever and weight-loss.
The infection usually clears up on its own but can be treated with antibiotics and people with impaired immune systems can have longer and more severe infections.
“In Wales, there have been a similar number of cyclospora cases in recent years, all occurring in the summer. Anyone travelling to Mexico or any other tropical or subtropical region can reduce their risk of infection by following good food, water, and hand hygiene,” said Dr Behrooz Behbod, consultant epidemiologist at Public Health Wales.
Other health authorities in Scotland and England have also warned tourists of the dangers posed by illness in Mexico as the outbreak spreads.
A spokesperson for Public Health Wales confirmed an outbreak of cyclospora in Mexico, stating: “Public Health Wales, along with other health agencies across the UK, has seen an increase in reports of cyclospora infection in returning travellers from Mexico.
“In Wales, there have been a total of 12 cases associated with travel to Mexico in 2019. The majority of cases stayed in the Riviera Maya and Cancun regions of Mexico.
“Get medical advice if you experience any symptoms, either during your holiday or after you return. If you are ill when you get home, remember to tell your GP about your travel history.”
TUI was asked to comment directly about the claims made against it, but directed the Echo to the Association of British Travel Agents (ABTA).
A spokesman said: “ABTA and our members always recommend that customers should read and follow the Foreign Office (FCO) travel advice to any destination they are travelling to.
“The FCO advice to Mexico states that in the last three years there has been an increase in reported cases of a food and water bug, cyclospora, affecting travellers returning from Mexico, particularly from the Riviera Maya region between the months of May and June.
“The FCO also advises that customers should follow the advice of the National Travel Health Network and Centre, which recommends that people should choose recently prepared food that is thoroughly cooked and served piping hot and certain foods should be avoided, eg fresh uncooked berries/unpeeled fruit and salad items that have not been washed in safe water.
“Customers should also only drink bottled drinking water or water that has been boiled, or filtered with a special filter designed for purifying drinking water.”