Guests at the Hotel Playa Pesquero say they’ve been diagnosed with Cryptosporidium following the submission of stool samples to their GP

We’ve recently been contacted by holidaymakers who say that they suffered holiday illness due to their stay at the Hotel Playa Pesquero in Cuba, with reports that the swimming pool was cloudy, flies and birds were sighted in the hotel restaurant and a Cryptosporidium infection has been diagnosed.

Past problems at the Hotel Playa Pesquero in Cuba

This isn’t the first time that we have represented holidaymakers who have become ill following a package holiday at the Hotel Playa Pesquero. We have handled cases where suspected pathogens such as Salmonella and E. coli O157 have been thought to have caused previous guests to become unwell, with some cases arising where holidaymakers have suffered kidney failure.

The Hotel Playa Pesquero is located in the popular resort town of Holguin in Cuba and is offered on an all-inclusive basis by UK tour operator Thomas Cook, who advertises the resort towards both couples and families with young children. Unfortunately, it appears that lapses in hygiene processes may have resulted in the spread of Cryptosporidium.

Holidaymakers diagnosed with Cryptosporidium

The holidaymakers who have contacted us so far have advised us that they witnessed a number of concerning hygiene issues during their stay at the Playa Pesquero. One group informed us that there’s a problem with wildlife in the hotel restaurants, where they say they often encountered flies around the buffet dishes and spotted birds in the dining areas. One holidaymaker also informed us that the swimming pool water didn’t look right, and instead of being clear was quite cloudy.

Out of the groups who have contacted us, several holidaymakers have informed us that they have had their condition diagnosed as being caused by a Cryptosporidium infection.

Reports of flies and food poisoning

There have also been reports of hygiene problems on review sites such as TripAdvisor, where previous guests have traditionally spoken very favourably of the Cuban resort.

Southport holidaymaker ‘Allijacko’ stayed at the Playa Pesquero this November and in her review titled “Could be so much better“, in amongst a list of issues, she says that “they really need to find a better solution to ‘flies’” during the breakfast buffet. She says that when she “went to get a bread roll and at least 15 flies flew out of the open bread basket.”

In his review titled “Great if you want to lose Weight“, ‘Chris M’ says that in the buffet restaurant “the food can be out under heat lamps for up to 3 hours” and that there are “flies being rampant and being on the food during that time,” resulting in guests suffering bouts of “Diarrhoea.”

How Cryptosporidiosis could be spread

While Cryptosporidiosis is often considered to be spread by contaminated water due to the Cryptosporidium parasite that causes this holiday illness capable of being waterborne, it can also be contracted through food poisoning.

It may turn your stomach to know that Cryptosporidium is usually spread by consuming contaminated faeces through the faecal-oral route of infection. This often occurs when faecal matter is inadvertently consumed, something which can commonly be attributed to flies.

Flies have a natural tendency to land on faeces which can stick to their legs. When they land on food, the faces stuck to their legs can be transferred and any infectious pathogens that may come with it. All it takes is for an unsuspecting guest at a hotel restaurant to consume an item of food such as a bread roll that a fly has landed on to suffer the debilitating symptoms of Cryptosporidium, such as diarrhoea, vomiting, nausea, fever, abdominal pain and more.

Birds can be a health hazard

While birds can be quite enjoyable and you might find it pleasant to watch them while eating, if they’re in a hotel restaurant or have access to buffet food they can become a health hazard. Most species of birds can spread harmful diseases, and along with flies and other wildlife, hotels should be taking steps to ensure that they are kept away from dining areas, especially open buffets.

Make a claim for holiday illness compensation

If a package holiday resort such as the Hotel Playa Pesquero has not taken steps to prevent the birds and flies from contaminating the food at an all-inclusive hotel buffet, then under The Package Travel Regulations 1992, you might be able to claim holiday illness compensation from your tour operator.

Our travel law specialists can advise you within minutes if you are able to claim compensation during a free no-obligation consultation. We can represent you on a ‘no win no fee‘ basis, so it costs you nothing to start your claim today.