Dozens of Britons’ vacations in Morocco turn into a nightmare

The events date back to the summer and fall of 2022. More than 70 British vacationers claim to have been victims of a parasitic infection at the four-star Aqua Mirage hotel in Marrakech, to the point of vomiting blood, reports Daily Mail. According to them, the toilet cubicles around the pool were covered in diarrhea and vomit. Many of them were subsequently diagnosed positive for E.coli, salmonella and cryptosporidium infections. Chelsea Hagan, 29, and her daughter Darcey, 6, from Anglesey, north Wales, who had booked the four-star hotel with TUI for the period from September 9 to 16, 2022, are among those affected.

The day they returned to the UK, Darcey fell ill. The little girl had gastrointestinal symptoms, including diarrhea and vomiting. Her mother takes her to the hospital. "When Darcey started getting sick, I thought it might be because of the heat of the vacation, but after a few days, I ended up taking her to the hospital because she wasn’t getting better. It was horrible to see my little girl so unwell," she recounts. On September 24, it was Chelsea’s turn to fall ill. "Then I got sick, and I couldn’t believe how bad I was feeling. I had never felt such stomach pains. I spent almost a day in the hospital vomiting. It was awful."

"Discovering that I had a gastrointestinal infection was a huge shock and not something you expect right after a vacation," continues the mother, who points to a lack of hygiene. "However, when I think back, I remember that the hotel’s hygiene standards were not what I would call excellent. I remember raw meat being placed next to cooked meat and people dipping into the food with their hands." Her daughter’s symptoms subsided around October 7, but Chelsea still has health problems. "Nearly a year later, I’m still not 100%. I know I can’t do anything to change what we’ve been through, but I want answers. I think that’s the least we deserve."

"Chelsea’s accounts of her illness and the similar symptoms that Darcey and others have suffered are very concerning," says Sarita Sharma, a lawyer specializing in serious injuries at Irwin Mitchell law firm and representing the affected British vacationers. Chelsea was diagnosed positive for cryptosporidium following hospital tests, and what is particularly worrying is that she continues to be affected by her illness a year later." And she adds: "Other people we represent have suffered from illnesses such as cryptosporidium, e.coli, campylobacter and salmonella, all of which can have long-term health consequences. It is understandable that our clients continue to have questions and concerns about what happened to them. We are currently investigating these issues in order to provide them with the answers they deserve."