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Swine flu nightmare for holiday couple
A LUXURY holiday has turned into a nightmare for a Fleetwood couple, who have been ordered into a quarantine centre amid fears they are suffering from swine flu.
Kevin Martin and Joanne Catterall booked the holiday to Sharm el Sheik in Egypt following two months of family tragedy.
The couple, from Blakiston Street, flew to the resort on Thursday and were immediately quarantined at the airport as Miss Catterall had a normal head cold.
Her brother, Gordon Penn from Milton Street, now claims the couple are being subjected to "filthy conditions and disgusting food".
Mr Penn said: "Kevin is complaining it's a human rights violation.
"But they were detained immediately for swine flu checks.
"They have been put in this holding place and they say it's distressing.
"The conditions are terrible – dirty and filthy, which you would not expect in an international quarantine zone.
"They say the food they have been given is disgusting."
Miss Catterall and her partner had booked the 10-day holiday after her mother, aunt and step-dad died within a five week period this summer.
When the couple flew into Sharm el Sheik airport a thermal imaging camera picked up a high temperature from Miss Catterall, who was getting over a cold.
They were placed in a detention centre, where they could be for five days while tests are carried out.
Mr Penn has only heard from them via text messages and one brief phone call.
He said: "Before they went she visited the doctor and he said it was just the tail end of a cold and there would be no problem.
"They are in a dirty little room and as you look out of the window there is a stack of 40 or 50 Calor Gas bottles within 10 metres of the window and there is no safety round them.
"They are very upset about it."
"There is nothing I can do for them. I can only offer support and contact the rest of the family and tell them what's going on."
Miss Catterall's mother died on August 15, her aunt, Sylvia Hatcher died on September 5 and step-dad Robert Catterall passed away on September 18 – the day of Mrs Hatcher's funeral.
Mr Penn said: "They have been having a terrible time.
"Joanne's mother, aunt and step-father all died in the space of two weeks.
"This is a holiday to try and recuperate from that and suddenly they are locked up."
Mr Martin is maintenance co-ordinator for the YMCA in Fleetwood and Miss Catterall is a part-time cleaner.
A spokeswoman for the British Embassy said they may be able to offer the couple assistance if they get in touch. Their advice was to seek medical advice before travelling with flu-like symptoms and that visitors to Egypt may be asked to undergo tests.
She said: "Our travel advice also highlights that medical facilities can be basic and vary throughout the country.
"We encourage all travellers to read the travel advice for the country they are travelling to beforehand."
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Weather for Blackpool
Thursday 09 February 2012
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