More illness in the Dominican Republic, Jimmy Buffett fans

[cleo29]

I just saw that today too. I know a family that is down there this week. :/

[jezebel]

Yeah, fuck vacationing in the DR right now. Not sorry.

[stinkyfeet]

The strange part to me is that we are only hearing about this happening to American tourists. Is that our narrow-viewed media or is there something else going on?

[jezebel]

Jun 17, 2019 21:00:33 GMT -5 stinkyfeet said:

The strange part to me is that we are only hearing about this happening to American tourists. Is that our narrow-viewed media or is there something else going on?

I can’t find reports of anyone from any other country dying at the resorts. I’d imagine the majority of tourists there are American, though.

[alleinesein]

One of my friends was down there a few weeks ago and got violently ill right before they came home. They stayed at the Hard Rock and she posted a news story today about a group of high school kids from Oklahoma getting sick at the same resort. There is definitely something weird going on down there.

[IndiaInk]

Jun 17, 2019 23:35:04 GMT -5 jezebel said:

Jun 17, 2019 21:00:33 GMT -5 stinkyfeet said:

The strange part to me is that we are only hearing about this happening to American tourists. Is that our narrow-viewed media or is there something else going on?

I can’t find reports of anyone from any other country dying at the resorts. I’d imagine the majority of tourists there are American, though.

I don’t know much about the current situation but I used to live in the DR and most of the tourists are actually European.

[jezebel]

Jun 18, 2019 1:01:02 GMT -5 IndiaInk said:

Jun 17, 2019 23:35:04 GMT -5 jezebel said:

I can’t find reports of anyone from any other country dying at the resorts. I’d imagine the majority of tourists there are American, though.

I don’t know much about the current situation but I used to live in the DR and most of the tourists are actually European.

Interesting. I assumed mostly American just due to proximity. So I wonder why this only seems to be happening to Americans?

[cleo29]

Jun 17, 2019 20:59:10 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Jun 17, 2019 20:57:02 GMT -5 jezebel said:

Yeah, fuck vacationing in the DR right now. Not sorry.

There is definitely something wacky going on with either the alcohol and/or some kind of chemical they are using in these resorts (I think the resorts with sick and/or deceased visitors are connected maybe). 

I am wondering if there is something with the pools. it is all pretty awful.

[nextbigthing]

I think it's going to be bootleg alcohol but at this point who knows! It's so sad for these poor families

We were supposed to go to DR in 4 weeks then one of my friends said she wasnt going so we switched to Mexico.

[mel]

I admit, I've been a complete disaster since SS left Saturday with his mom and her family for their trip. I've done nothing but worry. I've asked him to check in periodically throughout the day, which he has, just to make sure they're all ok. I cannot wait for that boy to be home this Saturday. My anxiety is through the roof.

[carmenere]

It is strange that we've only heard about Americans dying. I think by now the news has spread enough that families of any European victims would have come forward, if there were any. We are reconsidering the trip we had planned for September.

[polarbearfans]

Just came across this article...

www.vladtv.com/article/255702/counterfeit-alcohol-possibly-behind-string-of-deaths-in-dominican-republic

[moonriver]

Jun 18, 2019 9:29:55 GMT -5 polarbearfans said:

Just came across this article...

www.vladtv.com/article/255702/counterfeit-alcohol-possibly-behind-string-of-deaths-in-dominican-republic

If it’s alcohol from the mini bars, can’t they just go to the hotels where some of the illness/deaths happened and test the alcohol? It seems doing testing of the people who got sick, to try to find a link, would be more difficult.

[knx9211]

Jun 18, 2019 9:44:55 GMT -5 moonriver said:

Jun 18, 2019 9:29:55 GMT -5 polarbearfans said:

Just came across this article...

www.vladtv.com/article/255702/counterfeit-alcohol-possibly-behind-string-of-deaths-in-dominican-republic

If it’s alcohol from the mini bars, can’t they just go to the hotels where some of the illness/deaths happened and test the alcohol? It seems doing testing of the people who got sick, to try to find a link, would be more difficult.

At this point, I'd assume that any resort owner who's not a complete moron would have dumped and replaced any bootleg alcohol in the mini bars, so maybe they're worried that what they're testing would not give an accurate picture?

[mcsangel2]

A family member of one of the people who just died (Cause of death, fluid in the lungs?) said he asked about the toxicology report and was told the toximeter (or whatever it's called) was broken. I believe there were zero toxicology reports done on any of those recent tourists who've died, I would be highly interested in the results if full autopsies can be done here.

At least one of the deaths and a couple who became extremely ill last year or so, really seems to be linked to insecticide use. Between that and the bootleg liquor (which we've been hearing about for awhile), it's clear the lack of oversight of use of chemicals and food/liquor prep is a huge problem. I also read something that made a vague reference of there being 'gray water' in the pools! (shudder).

[mags]

Jun 18, 2019 9:53:28 GMT -5 knx9211 said:

Jun 18, 2019 9:44:55 GMT -5 moonriver said:

If it’s alcohol from the mini bars, can’t they just go to the hotels where some of the illness/deaths happened and test the alcohol? It seems doing testing of the people who got sick, to try to find a link, would be more difficult.

At this point, I'd assume that any resort owner who's not a complete moron would have dumped and replaced any bootleg alcohol in the mini bars, so maybe they're worried that what they're testing would not give an accurate picture?

Still doesn't explain why only Americans are dying? Are they the only ones drinking alcohol?

Just seems so odd. If there were others I'm sure the media would be all over it.

[lovelyshoes]

There’re a lot of European tourists there. I think a lot of it is hotel specific on where people stay. I have heard of alcohol related deaths of Europeans. there over the years from other guests. We’re probably not hearing news from other sources. People need to report it and most people don’t. My own family was in dr this April and got insanely ill, but never reported it. My son h and I were super sick there 3 1/2 years ago and just thought we ate something. I don’t even drink one alcoholic drink a day and obviously my child didn’t drink.
We had family just come back before all of these stories broke and their 4 year old was violently ill. I think it’s more than just alcohol.

[humpforfree]

Jun 18, 2019 10:53:39 GMT -5 lovelyshoes said:

There’re a lot of European tourists there. I think a lot of it is hotel specific on where people stay. I have heard of alcohol related deaths of Europeans. there over the years from other guests. We’re probably not hearing news from other sources. People need to report it and most people don’t. My own family was in dr this April and got insanely ill, but never reported it. My son h and I were super sick there 3 1/2 years ago and just thought we ate something. I don’t even drink one alcoholic drink a day and obviously my child didn’t drink.
We had family just come back before all of these stories broke and their 4 year old was violently ill. I think it’s more than just alcohol.

Truth. I was super sick there 2 years ago. Not at any of the resorts mentioned, but punta Cana area. I just assumed it was food related bc my H didn’t get sick and we were both drinking (though didn’t have liquor in the room) and sharing a tiny room we would have shared germs. I wouldn’t have thought to report something food related- there is probably plenty that goes unreported w/people thinking it’s something benign.

[RoxMonster]

Knowing that some people are super sick who haven't drank, is it something they use to clean the rooms? I know insecticide has been mentioned, but how pervasive is the use of insecticide? Like is this something they are spraying on an almost daily basis? That's why I wonder if some cleaning agent is to blame.

[jennistarr1]

I've been there twice

Once, husband got super sick and actually tested positive for some bacteria they found in his blood when we returned home

Another time, I had slipped and face planted on the floor. I was really worried about a head injury and sought out the resort doctor who didn't even so much offer me an ice pack for my broken nose. I agreed to be sent to a hospital but they told me to go back to my room, call all my credit cards, and tell them my credit limits on each one. I was like hell no, forget it, and just kind of monitored myself but had a horrible trip.

[mcsangel2]

Jun 18, 2019 11:25:27 GMT -5 RoxMonster said:

Knowing that some people are super sick who haven't drank, is it something they use to clean the rooms? I know insecticide has been mentioned, but how pervasive is the use of insecticide? Like is this something they are spraying on an almost daily basis? That's why I wonder if some cleaning agent is to blame.

The issue (in the case of the one couple who were terribly ill for months but recovered), they saw insecticide being sprayed on and around the a/c unit outside, meaning it was then carried through the ventilation.

One thing I read, for those who were ill but recovered, a bacteria type illness will have you down for a few days and then you begin to recover. In some cases, people just kept getting sicker and sicker over a period of weeks. It said, that is a hallmark of poisoning symptoms (regardless of type - wood alcohol or insecticide), and that that has happened, should be a major red flag for all the sudden deaths (remember, no toxicology reports!)

[wildrice]

Jun 18, 2019 13:34:08 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

I've been there twice

Once, husband got super sick and actually tested positive for some bacteria they found in his blood when we returned home

Another time, I had slipped and face planted on the floor. I was really worried about a head injury and sought out the resort doctor who didn't even so much offer me an ice pack for my broken nose. I agreed to be sent to a hospital but they told me to go back to my room, call all my credit cards, and tell them my credit limits on each one. I was like hell no, forget it, and just kind of monitored myself but had a horrible trip.

That's super weird.

My mom had the opposite experience. She hurt her foot on her way to the airport the last time my family was in the DR (the actual injury happened in Illinois) and she went to a hospital the day after we arrived, when it became clear she was truly hurt. The hospital took forever, but the doctor was excellent and actually provided a better treatment protocol than what was recommended by her doctor when she returned home. I forget what she paid for her visit, but it was pretty minimal. She said she was actually kind of frustrated that she got better care in a foreign country than she did in her own hometown.

I wonder if some of this is just a lack of food/water safety. It's not uncommon for tourists to get sick on vacation, and especially in a county that has very different standards and water treatment than the US. Technically you aren't supposed to eat things like leafy greens that can't be properly washed, and you aren't supposed to use the water for anything other than bathing (even using a water bottle for brushing teeth). It's hard to remember to do that, and a lot of immune/digestive systems can't handle the change. I don't think this accounts for the deaths, but I do suspect it accounts for a lot of the "violent illness" that is being reported. 

I did have diarrhea pretty consistently on my first trip there, back all the way in 2006. I recall it lasted a couple of weeks after I got home, but it wasn't serious and could be controlled with medication. If I had heard of a ton of people becoming ill back then, I may have assumed I had been affected by the same thing, thought I suspect it was more a food/water issue for me.

[mcsangel2]

Jun 18, 2019 14:10:45 GMT -5 wildrice said:

Jun 18, 2019 13:34:08 GMT -5 jennistarr1 said:

I've been there twice

Once, husband got super sick and actually tested positive for some bacteria they found in his blood when we returned home

Another time, I had slipped and face planted on the floor. I was really worried about a head injury and sought out the resort doctor who didn't even so much offer me an ice pack for my broken nose. I agreed to be sent to a hospital but they told me to go back to my room, call all my credit cards, and tell them my credit limits on each one. I was like hell no, forget it, and just kind of monitored myself but had a horrible trip.

That's super weird.

My mom had the opposite experience. She hurt her foot on her way to the airport the last time my family was in the DR (the actual injury happened in Illinois) and she went to a hospital the day after we arrived, when it became clear she was truly hurt. The hospital took forever, but the doctor was excellent and actually provided a better treatment protocol than what was recommended by her doctor when she returned home. I forget what she paid for her visit, but it was pretty minimal. She said she was actually kind of frustrated that she got better care in a foreign country than she did in her own hometown.

I wonder if some of this is just a lack of food/water safety. It's not uncommon for tourists to get sick on vacation, and especially in a county that has very different standards and water treatment than the US. Technically you aren't supposed to eat things like leafy greens that can't be properly washed, and you aren't supposed to use the water for anything other than bathing (even using a water bottle for brushing teeth). It's hard to remember to do that, and a lot of immune/digestive systems can't handle the change. I don't think this accounts for the deaths, but I do suspect it accounts for a lot of the "violent illness" that is being reported. 

I did have diarrhea pretty consistently on my first trip there, back all the way in 2006. I recall it lasted a couple of weeks after I got home, but it wasn't serious and could be controlled with medication. If I had heard of a ton of people becoming ill back then, I may have assumed I had been affected by the same thing, thought I suspect it was more a food/water issue for me.

Oh, this was the other thing I was definitely thinking about. All kinds of bacteria that American digestive systems can't handle. I have no doubt that happens alllllllll the time.

[tealblue]

I went with a group several years ago and a majority of us had some sort of stomach/bathroom issue while there. We just assumed it was food or water contamination. It wouldn’t have crossed my mind to report it to anyone. My H was miserable for a few days.

We all were drinking and assumed it was either food or water- I am not certain I always used bottled water for teeth brushing, unsure how their ice is made, how the food is washed, etc.

[pugz]

yeah it hurts their bottom line (and tourism for the whole country) if they don't fix known issues. So it makes me think it is something that has not yet been pinpointed.

[jezebel]

This is clearly more than travelers diarrhea in the cases of those who died.

[mmmomof2]

I just read a story the Melissa Rycroft (of Bachelor and DCC "fame") has symptoms.

pagesix.com/2019/06/18/bachelor-star-melissa-rycroft-really-sick-after-trip-to-dominican-republic/

Did the poster decide if she was going to the wedding? That poor Bride :/

[wildrice]

Jun 18, 2019 17:54:51 GMT -5 mofongo said:

Jun 18, 2019 17:38:08 GMT -5 jezebel said:

This is clearly more than travelers diarrhea in the cases of those who died.

Yeah, my mom did multiple mission trips to Central America and always came home with travelers diarrhea. This is not that!

Clearly not, but my earlier point was that I wonder how many of the other, non lethal cases are. Violently ill is so vague. If there people were not hospitalized and didn't seek medical treatment I have to wonder if they are even related to the deaths or just a case of the media putting ideas in people's heads and things ending up over reported.

Every time I get a stomach bug I feel like I might die, but that doesn't mean my life was actually in danger KWIM?

I do hope they get to the bottom of what happened with those who died.

[stinkyfeet]

Jun 19, 2019 8:41:00 GMT -5 mmmomof2 said:

I just read a story the Melissa Rycroft (of Bachelor and DCC "fame") has symptoms.

pagesix.com/2019/06/18/bachelor-star-melissa-rycroft-really-sick-after-trip-to-dominican-republic/

Did the poster decide if she was going to the wedding? That poor Bride :/

 I'm a poster going to a wedding there.  But there is at least one other i believe .  The wedding is in 2 1/2 weeks and up until today I was going but not drinking.  Now I really am not sure.   The bride isn't freaking out at all and their message to guests is  "You can die in Atlanta, are you going to not go there?"  Most of the people going are younger than me and big partiers.  And we are all at one of the resorts where there were reported deaths and illnesses.  I'm struggling with a decision and honestly if any of my kids say they don't want me to go, then I may cancel.  

[fivechickens]

Jun 20, 2019 15:48:45 GMT -5 stinkyfeet said:

Jun 19, 2019 8:41:00 GMT -5 mmmomof2 said:

I just read a story the Melissa Rycroft (of Bachelor and DCC "fame") has symptoms.

pagesix.com/2019/06/18/bachelor-star-melissa-rycroft-really-sick-after-trip-to-dominican-republic/

Did the poster decide if she was going to the wedding? That poor Bride :/

 I'm a poster going to a wedding there.  But there is at least one other i believe .  The wedding is in 2 1/2 weeks and up until today I was going but not drinking.  Now I really am not sure.   The bride isn't freaking out at all and their message to guests is  "You can die in Atlanta, are you going to not go there?"  Most of the people going are younger than me and big partiers.  And we are all at one of the resorts where there were reported deaths and illnesses.  I'm struggling with a decision and honestly if any of my kids say they don't want me to go, then I may cancel.  

Oh Jesus. I could die walking out of my house.

I really hate these rebuttals to being concerned about going somewhere/doing something you don’t feel comfortable going to/doing.