Key keywords: Cape Verde mysterious sickness outbreak, unprecedented High Court of Cape Verde action, 2024 Cape Verde tourist illness claims, Cape Verde public health crisis, Sal Island hotel contamination probe, wrongful death lawsuits Cape Verde, Cape Verde health authority transparency, mass gastrointestinal infection Cape Verde In an unprecedented move for the Atlantic archipelago’s judicial system, the High Court of Cape Verde issued a binding emergency ruling this week amid a rapidly escalating outbreak of unexplained gastrointestinal sickness that has sickened more than 1,400 people and claimed 9 confirmed lives as of Thursday, according to updated official data. The majority of confirmed cases have been traced to popular tourist hubs on Sal Island and Boa Vista Island, top winter getaway destinations for travelers from the UK, European Union, and North America. For nearly four weeks, Cape Verde’s national health authority maintained the outbreak was caused by a seasonal norovirus strain, urging public calm and insisting no widespread contamination of local food, water, or coastal swimming areas had been detected. However, mounting complaints from affected tourists, wrongful death claims filed by families of deceased victims, and independent lab tests from European health authorities showing 32% of submitted patient samples contained an unidentifiable viral pathogen pushed local consumer advocacy groups to file an emergency petition with the High Court last week. The court’s landmark ruling orders three immediate mandatory actions: first, the temporary closure of 17 hotels linked to more than 70% of reported sickness cases, pending full environmental and food safety inspections; second, the immediate public release of all undisclosed testing data, case logs, and internal communications from the national health authority related to the outbreak; third, the formation of an independent international public health panel to identify the root cause of the sickness and release a full report within 21 days. The High Court also ordered the national tourism board to establish a €15 million emergency compensation fund for affected visitors and local residents who incurred medical costs or lost income due to the outbreak. Cape Verde’s economy relies on tourism for more than 45% of its annual GDP, and industry groups estimate the outbreak has already cost local businesses more than €28 million in canceled bookings and lost revenue as of mid-July. “This intervention is unprecedented because we have clear evidence that government authorities withheld critical information from the public to protect tourism profits, putting thousands of lives at risk,” said High Court President Maria do Carmo in a public statement following the ruling. Health officials have since updated their travel advisory, warning visitors to avoid unfiltered tap water, uncooked street food, and swimming in coastal areas near hotel discharge outlets until further notice.