A FAMILY have released images of a two-year-old girl covered in spots – claiming their holiday hotel was warned about an infectious disease risk two years earlier.
The shocking pictures show Devyn-Rose Archer covered head to foot by spots as a result of getting hand, foot and mouth disease.
The tot got the infection while on holiday with her parents and grandparents at TUI Family Life Mar de Menorca, Spain, earlier this month.
But holidaymakers have been writing on the hotel’s TripAdvisor page since September 2016 to warn about getting the infection there.
Devyn-Rose’s grandmother, Helen Weeks, is furious that she and her family were allowed to stay at the hotel by TUI without any warning about the previous cases.
Helen, 50, from Portsmouth, posted her complaint on the TUI community page on Facebook, writing: “TUI where is your duty of care to your customers? Just came back from Family Life Mar de in Menorca where there is an outbreak of hand foot and mouth which you are aware of.”
She added: “This has been reported since February 2018 and you are still happy to send your customers there without informing them.
“People have worked hard all year for a holiday to be confined to their rooms shame on you.”
Helen said Devyn-Rose’s condition worsened throughout the holiday.
Helen said: “We noticed that she had a few spots which we put down to prickly heat.
“On Monday evening she started to be a little hot then she was being sick and had a high temperature.
“By Tuesday the spots were even more all from the waist down so Wednesday we took her to the doctors which he couldn’t say what it was.
“He then booked a taxi to the hospital. They then confirmed it was hand, foot and mouth and they gave a perception for ibuprofen and soothing cream.”
Helen said customers had been complaining about outbreaks as recently as February 2018.
She said: “That made me angry at the fact that TUI was sending people out there knowing there is an outbreak.”
Last week, honeymoon couple Daniel and Danielle Judd told how their kids also contracted hand, foot and mouth disease at the Mar de Menorca.
The Judds, from Basildon, Essex, revealed they were also confined to their room during their 11-day all inclusive TUI holiday.
Numerous holidaymakers have taken to the hotel’s TripAdvisor page to complain about the same problem.
Reviewer Suzannegib said on the 25th of September 2016: “I can’t express enough how bad this hotel is. Please do not go!
“Our baby caught hand foot and mouth disease which was riddled throughout the hotel. There was 20+ families that were suffering.”
Lauren S reviewed on the 26th of September 2016: “The hotel is riddled with hand foot and mouth disease and Thomson (TUI) are trying to do anything and everything to cover this up.”
Another reviwer know as plmalam from Newark-on-Trent said on the 27th of September 2016: “Middle of no where hand foot and mouth rife cold food flies and wasps miserable staff but make the most of it you’ve paid for it.”
James R from Manchester said on the 28th of September 2016 said: “This hotel is an absolute disgrace and Thomson (TUI) were next to useless in the handling of the numerous children suffering from hand, foot and mouth.”
A year later mk2paddy from Witton Gilbert stated on the 25th of September 2017: “Our first family holiday was ruined when our nine month son was admitted to hospital when he contracted hand foot and mouth disease from this so called four star hotel.”
The complaint by Maxine B from London on the 16th of February 2018 read: “We visited this hotel in September 2017 for our first family holiday and we’re utterly disappointed!
“Our 10 month old baby contracted hand, foot and mouth disease. Our poor baby was covered in spots.
“Both the in house doctor and the consultant confirmed it was hand, foot and mouth and advised there was an epidemic at the hotel TUI family life Mar de Menorca.”
A TUI spokewoman said: “We are aware of just a small number of reported cases of Hand, Foot and Mouth at the Family Life Mar de Menorca hotel.
“This type of infection, however, can occur in any situation, whether at home or on holiday, and although commonly mistaken for being so has no link to Foot and Mouth disease.
“As a precautionary measure as soon as we were made aware of the small number of cases of this common illness, we implemented additional health and safety procedures including superior cleaning measures on top of already stringent protocols to assist with preventing any further spread of illness.
“We’d like to reassure customers that we regularly audit all of the hotels we feature in respect of health and safety, including hygiene.”
