Controversy over Hurghada tourist deaths, food poisoning continues: Madbouly, Al Mashat discuss investigations into British tourists’ death with Thomas Cook boss: Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly and Tourism Minister Rania Al Mashat met on Thursday with Thomas Cook CEO Peter Fankhauser to discuss the ongoing investigation into the death of two British tourists while on holiday in Hurghada last month, Al Masry Al Youm reports. Madbouly and Mashat reiterated Egypt’s commitment to conducting a transparent investigation into the incident, according to the newspaper.

A woman from the UK died yesterday at the Royal Tulip Hotel in Hurghada, also citing a “strange smell” in the hotel room, according to her husband Clive Eversfield, Daily Mail reports. Egyptian authorities said that 54-year old Alison Sonnex died due to heart failure. But Eversfield confirmed that they both fell ill following a strange odour in their room.

More tourists complain of food poisoning at Steigenberger: Meanwhile, two more British tourists evacuated from the Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel — where the first two tourists had died — say they contracted shigella during their stay at the hotel, according to the Telegraph. Egyptian authorities are currently investigating the hotel’s food and hygiene after ruling out toxic gas emissions as the Britons’ cause of death, Reuters reports. The bodies of the deceased tourists should be repatriated this week after autopsies and forensic studies are complete, the Tourism Ministry said, the Associated Press reports. Apparently, loyal Steigenberger Aqua Magic hotel visitors are creating new accounts on TripAdvisor and bombarding the hotel’s page with positive reviews following the latest incident, according to The Sun.

Meanwhile, the Tourism Ministry denied on Thursday having any immediate plans to make travel insurance compulsory for Egypt-bound travellers, Al Masry Al Youm reports. The ministry said the matter has been under consideration for quite some time and is not related to the two tourists’ death.