A group of Jimmy Buffett fans from Oklahoma claim being violently ill while visiting the Hotel Riu Palace Macao in April, adding to the number of those plagued by a mysterious illness while visiting the Dominican Republic.
At least seven American tourists have died in, or shortly returning home from, the D.R. since the beginning of the year.
Related: Barbara Corcoran’s Brother Dies In Dominican Republic Hotel
Travel agent Dana Flowers, who was on the vacation in question, told NBC‘s TODAY on Monday:
“About midweek people began to get sick and were missing events, and we began to wonder what was going on. Most people initially thought that it was food poisoning. It was basically — it was crippling diarrhea.”
Of the 114 people who attended the vacation, 47 of them, including Flowers, got sick, he told KFOR:
“[I] lost 14 pounds during that time and was really sick. I can’t even explain how sick I was.”
During their time in the Dominican Republic, another person not with their group died at a different hotel. According to Flowers, the group was clueless to what was going on:
“We had no idea when we were there that all this was going on.”
Related: Disturbing Number Of Tourist Deaths Being Investigated By FBI, CDC
Flowers continued, sharing that doctors in Punta Cana thought it could have been because of a parasite, but it wasn’t. While some sick tourists tested positive for salmonella, some others did not.
However, there was one thing that everyone who got sick did have in common:
“Drank at the swim-up pool bar or swam at the swim-up pool.”
As we reported, authorities have been attempting to zero in on the exact cause of the surge in deaths and illnesses, and bootleg alcohol could be to blame.
According to the New York Post, FBI investigators from the U.S. and local police in the D.R. are looking into the alcohol manufacturers and suppliers that supply spirits for The Hard Rock Hotel and the Grand Bahia Principe, both located near Punta Cana.
Media reports say that investigators are focusing their attention on whether bootleg alcohol could be responsible for the deaths, as many of the victims reported nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea consistent with methanol poisoning immediately before they passed away. The Hard Rock Hotel in Punta Cana released a statement affirming they “only buy unopened products from licensed and reputable vendors.”
Things are unclear for now, but if you plan on visiting Punta Cana anytime soon… cancel your trip!!
[Image via Nicky Nelson/WENN.]
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