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British tourist's holiday nightmare: Brain infection in Tenerife hospital
26 Mar
Summary
- A tourist collapsed at the airport with severe pain and was hospitalized.
- Doctors diagnosed a brain infection that developed into meningitis.
- She is in intensive care on a ventilator, with potential long-term effects.

A British tourist experienced a sudden and severe medical emergency upon arriving at the airport in Tenerife. She collapsed, experiencing intense pain and an inability to communicate, prompting immediate hospitalization. Medical evaluations, including a CT scan, identified a brain infection that subsequently developed into meningitis.
Due to the severity of her condition, she was transferred to an intensive care unit in northern Tenerife. She was placed on a ventilator and has remained under heavy sedation for several days. Doctors are monitoring her closely for complications such as seizures, epilepsy, memory loss, and paralysis.
The full extent of any long-term effects will only be known once she regains consciousness. The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) advises that public healthcare facilities in Spain are generally recommended for appropriate care, unlike some private hospitals which may not accept European Health Insurance Cards (EHIC) or Global Health Insurance Cards (GHIC).