A retired primary school teacher narrowly escaped death after contracting Legionnaires' disease during a £2,000 holiday in Gran Canaria. Juliet Leith, from Maidstone, spent 12 days in the ICU after developing flu-like symptoms, joint pain, and breathlessness while staying at a four-star TUI hotel.
The 58-year-old endured four days in an induced coma, and her daughters flew to be by her bedside after being informed she might not survive. Juliet had been staying at the TUI BLUE Suite Princess in Playa Taurito when she fell ill and was admitted to a nearby hospital with severe pneumonia.
Upon her admission on September 26, 2025, she tested positive for Legionnaires' disease. According to NHS England, this lung infection can be contracted by inhaling droplets from air conditioning, hot tubs, or rarely used baths and showers. While uncommon, it can be life-threatening.
Despite initial treatment, her condition worsened, and Juliet was placed in an induced coma for four days, with doctors warning her daughters that she may not survive. This prompted them to fly from the UK to support her. A TUI spokesperson expressed sympathy but could not comment due to the legal nature of the matter.
Juliet, reflecting on her experience, said, 'I have vague memories of being in the hospital and couldn't grasp the severity until I woke up from the induced coma. It was a shocking revelation. I couldn't fathom how close I'd come to death, and later, doctors informed me that my chances of survival were only around 20%.'
The mother of two spent 12 days in the ICU before being discharged and referred to a respiratory consultant. She continues her recovery as an outpatient under specialist supervision. Juliet has engaged serious injury lawyers at Irwin Mitchell to investigate the cause of her illness during the holiday, which cost over £2,000 and was booked through TUI UK Limited.
The firm seeks information from anyone who fell ill during their stay at the TUI BLUE Suite Princess in Gran Canaria. Juliet and her sister, Maureen, arrived at the resort on September 18, 2025, and she began experiencing flu-like symptoms on September 22, leading to hospitalization four days later.
'When I first felt unwell, I thought it was just the flu or maybe COVID-19,' Juliet said. 'Legionnaires' disease never crossed my mind. You never imagine something like this happening, especially on holiday. The hardest part was knowing my children had seen me in that state. I'm still missing chunks of memory and processing what happened.'
Juliet emphasizes the need for increased awareness of Legionnaires' disease symptoms and its potential dangers. She learned that simple measures like running showers and checking air conditioning units can prevent the disease. She considers herself fortunate and aims to share her experience to prevent others from facing similar situations.
Symptoms of Legionnaires' disease include shortness of breath, high temperature, and chest pain or discomfort, especially when breathing or coughing. Jatinder Paul, an expert international serious injury lawyer at Irwin Mitchell, representing Juliet, stated that her near-death experience must have been terrifying. He emphasized the importance of strict precautions in public buildings like hotels to prevent the bacteria that cause Legionnaires' disease from developing.
