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”.
he 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?”
She said she had been told the UK authorities were due to carry out a postmortem examination soon.
Thomas Cook said it was clear “something went wrong in August at the
Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel in Hurghada and that standards fell below
what we expect from our hotel partners”.
The travel company said high
levels of E coli and bacteria that could cause toxic shock syndrome
were found at the hotel. Guests reported that some people were so ill
they defecated involuntarily in the swimming pools, and some
complained of being served undercooked and raw chicken as well as drinks from dirty glasses.
The Steigenberger hotel said: “We are deeply saddened by the tragic
deaths. All of our thoughts are with the family. In addition to our full
support of the authorities, the tour operator and the franchise
partner, we are highly engaged in running our own investigations.”
After the attorney general’s reports release on Wednesday, Egypt’s
tourism minister, Rania al-Mashat, said: “The causes of death, E coli
bacteria, were medically determined by a team of internationally
accredited pathologists, which I hope for the family’s sake will put an
end to previous speculative suggestions of what might have happened.
“We will review the attorney general’s autopsy reports in fine detail to
determine our next course of action to look after the welfare of our
visitors.”
Thomas Cook is preparing a compensation package for customers who
reported an illness while staying at the hotel in August. It has also
rolled out a programme of “specialist hygiene assessments”
to all its hotels that experience a higher-than-average reported level of sickness.
A spokesman said
it had yet to see the Egyptian prosecutors’ full report adding: “We will
need time for our own experts to review it. We are deeply saddened by
the tragic deaths of John and Susan Cooper. We will continue to offer
every support to their daughter Kelly and the rest of their family.”
Additional reporting by Adham Youssef
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.