Metro

Tests show E coli killed British tourist couple in Egypt

Published

6 years ago

September 13, 2018

The deaths of a British couple who were staying at a hotel in Egypt’s Red Sea resort of Hurghada were caused by E coli bacteria, according to test results released by Egypt’s chief prosecutor on Wednesday.

John Cooper, 69, had acute intestinal dysentery caused by E coli, and 63-year-old Susan Cooper had haemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), probably because of E coli, said the Egyptian general prosecutor Nabil Sadek.

He said the couple’s bodies showed “no criminal violence”; other tests on air and water at the hotel found nothing unusual. Thomas Cook evacuated 300 guests from the hotel as a precaution.

Their daughter, Kelly Ormerod, who was with them the night before they died, has said they used perfume to mask a strange odour in the room.

The forensic report denied there had been any leakage of harmful gases into the room. However, it detailed how the “unknown smell” noticed by Ormerod was “due to a leak of insecticide used in the next room”.

The report added that the insecticide, lambda-cyhalothrin, a chemical commonly used to control pests in home gardening or in agriculture to prevent insects eating crops, was safe to use, and denied that it had anything to do with the deaths.

The report added that the postmortems showed John Cooper died from a cardiac arrest after blockages to an estimated 80% of the veins in his heart. He also tested positive for the E coli bacteria, which caused the vomiting and diarrhoea he experienced shortly before his death. The report adds that he had consumed alcohol and hash, a kind of marijuana. There is no indication in the report that either contributed to his death.

Susan Cooper is detailed in the report as suffering from Hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that affects blood vessels and blood, and often occurs after people are infected with E coli. The report mentions that it was suggested that she contracted E coli “as she was staying with her husband and had eaten the same food”.

The report also states that at 11.30am on the day they died, the Coopers’ daughter called doctors in the hotel to examine her parents. John Cooper was experiencing diarrhoea and vomiting and the “doctors gave him medicine they thought was appropriate, this being Ringer’s solution (rehydration salts) and a dexamethasone injection, a corticosteroid”. His condition worsened and he died in his room.

Ormerod said she had “no faith” in the Egyptian authorities’ claims, saying she wanted more transparency and would wait for the results of tests done by the UK Home Office before coming to any conclusions about how her parents died.

“Thomas Cook put a report out that there were high levels of E coli at the hotel. Whether the Egyptians have honed in on that, I have no idea.”

She expressed doubt that anyone could die so shortly after exposure to the bacteria, accusing the Egyptian authorities of seeking a quick answer in order to protect the nation’s tourism industry.

“I don’t know what tests they have done. The report I have seen, from the media, not sent to me, was very, very brief … Exactly what have they tested for?”

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Metro

Nigeria govt cancels 924 dormant mining licences

Published

2 hours ago

April 26, 2024

Ifeoluwa Dada

Nigeria’s minister of mines said on Wednesday that 924 expired mining licences had been cancelled immediately.

The country now wants investors to apply for the affected permits, which will be given out on a “first come, first served” basis.

In a statement, Mines Minister Dele Alake said that 528 exploration licenses, 20 mining leases, 101 quarry licenses, and 273 small-scale mining licenses would be impacted.

As part of major changes in the mining industry, more than 1,600 mining titles were taken away in November for not paying the required fees.

Alake said that the action was taken to stop “licence racketeering,” which is when people or businesses buy titles to minerals that are worth a lot of money and then sell the licenses to the highest price.

“By creating a secondary, black market to pawn mineral licences, the unsuspecting and unwary investor is misled into believing that he can only obtain licence by patronising the black market. This discourages investment,” Alake said.

“It is our belief that this decision will sanitise the licensing system by penalising those who have commercialized the opportunities offered by the sector into a bazaar, he added.

Nigeria wants to attract investors to a mining industry that hasn’t been developed much in the past. To do this, they are giving incentives like not having to pay taxes on profits and sending them back to Nigeria in full.

Nigeria has had trouble getting value from its huge mineral riches because it didn’t invest in or take care of them.

After making it harder for foreign companies to get mining licenses last year, Africa’s biggest oil provider will only give them to companies that process their minerals in the country itself. The country is also rich in lithium, gold, and limestone.

Metro

Media polarisation blamed for biased coverage, civil society leader calls for mindset shift

Published

20 hours ago

April 25, 2024

Akanimoh Etim

Chama Mwansa, Executive Director of the Chandarika Women and Youths Foundation, has attributed media biases to the similarities in coverage between private and state-owned media outlets.

Mwansa spoke with Zambia Monitor in an interview in Mansa, Luapula province.

She dwelt on the importance of media freedom, freedom of speech, and digital rights in promoting social and economic development.

Mwansa said, “The media plays a crucial role in society. Media freedom allows for comprehensive coverage of various perspectives, whether from the opposition or the ruling party.”

She noted the importance of media partnerships in facilitating coverage of events such as International Women’s Day, emphasizing the necessity of media freedom for objective reporting.

However, Mwansa pointed out issues contributing to media bias in the country, noting the tendency for certain media outlets to be perceived as aligned with either the government or the opposition.

This alignment, she argued, could limit journalists’ ability to cover events objectively, as they may face obstacles based on perceived biases.

Regarding freedom of expression, Mwansa emphasized the need to address the underlying causes of media bias, which can inhibit individuals from expressing themselves freely without fear of being labeled.

She called for a mindset shift to promote freedom of expression, particularly within the NGO sector, where individuals may face undue criticism based on perceived political affiliations.

On the topic of digital rights, Mwansa highlighted the benefits her organization has experienced, particularly through social media platforms like Facebook.

She noted that social media had enabled increased visibility of their activities and facilitated the reporting of gender-based violence cases that were previously hidden.

Mwansa noted the importance of media freedom, freedom of expression, and digital rights in fostering a more inclusive and informed society and called for a collective effort to address biases and promote a more balanced media landscape.

This story is sponsored content from Zambia Monitor’s Project Aliyense.