Fighting for life after hols food bug
Son suffers septic shock
A BRITISH boy lies in hospital on life support after suffering food poisoning in Egypt.
Luay Mohammed, seven, was struck down by salmonella at a five-star hotel 15 miles from where tourists John and Susan Cooper died last month.
The lad went into septic shock after returning to the UK.
He remains critical after three weeks in intensive care as his mum Fathia today blasts the Tia Heights hotel in Hurghada she claims was rat-infested.
Fathia, 30, said she Luay, daughter Layan, six, and son Naji, two, all had diarrhoea during a fortnight at the Red Sea hotel.
“The buffet was appalling and we saw rats,” she said. “We told staff we felt unwell but they told us to eat yoghurt.”
When the family got home to Birmingham, Luay, who has sickle cell anaemia, took a turn for the worse and was taken to A&E screaming in pain and struggling to breathe. He turned out to have salmonella which infected his spleen, leading to sepsis and a stroke on Thursday.
Yesterday he was awaiting tests for long-term damage.
Fathia said: “They say he’s stable. It’s been a nightmare.” She will complain to travel agent Purple Travel and the hotel.
The drama comes after E-coli traces were found at the Steigenberger Aqua Magic Hotel where John Cooper, 69, and Susan, 64, of Burnley, died. Purple Travel said Fathia’s family should have sought “immediate medical assistance”. Tia Heights hotel said they could have been poisoned on an excursion.