47 Jimmy Buffett Fans Get Violently Sick On Group Trip to Dominican Republic

MSN 'News' ^ | June 17, 2019 | Laura Barcella

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Adding to the rising numbers of people who have either fallen ill or died while visiting Dominican Republic hotels and resorts, a group of Oklahoma-based Jimmy Buffett fans allegedly grew violently sick while visiting the Dominican Republic’s Hotel Riu Palace Macao on an April group trip to Punta Cana.

Dana Flowers, a member of the Central Oklahoma Parrothead Association (who also serves as the group’s travel agent), tells PEOPLE that 47 of the 114 people on the the trip got sick, with many unable to leave their rooms. He said some are still not feeling “normal” two months later.

“We went [to Hotel Riu Palace Macao] for the week — some longer, some shorter,” he tells PEOPLE. “We were enjoying the beach and the pool, and about 3 or 4 days into the trip we started hearing about people getting sick. They were getting diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, headaches.”

Flowers says the group initially chalked the mystery ailment up to food poisoning, but their symptoms began to worsen. Flowers, who was among those affected by the illness, claims he lost 14 pounds over the course of 19 days. “It was some of the worst sick I’ve ever been, and I don’t normally ever get sick,” he says.

Flowers claims that everyone who grew ill in his group either swam in one specific pool or drank at the swim-up bar. When members of the group sought treatment from the on-site doctor, Flowers claims, ”Most of them got an IV, then were prescribed a medicine for parasites. [They] didn’t do any testing, they just automatically gave them medicine for parasites.”

*SNIP*

[Diana in Wisconsin]

In a statement to PEOPLE, Hotel Riu Palace Macao says, “We are aware that three guests staying last April at this hotel and coming from the same group … were attended by a possible case of gastroenteritis in our doctor’s office. These events occurred after an external activity of this group outside the hotel, so we can not determine the exact origin of the stomach upset. … No more similar cases were registered by other guests during the indicated date above.”

[dfwgator]

Did they have the steak or the fish?

[\/\/ayne]

Are they wasting away?

[Lurkinanloomin]

Don’t go to Dominican Republic.

[irishjuggler]

Wasting away again...

[TomServo]

I don't know
I don't know
I don't know where I'm a gonna go
When my stomach lining blows...

[PGR88]

Did they have the steak or the fish?

My guess is Dominican Republic has a large criminal gang, probably working with hotel insiders, to sell, steal and/or replace real liquor with fake booze / methanol

[MayflowerMadam]

:) Clever.

[thesharkboy]

Did they have the steak or the fish?

Oh yes. I remember. I had the lasagna.

[Red Badger]

Shoulda went to Margaritaville........

The worst margaritas on earth, but they won’t kill you...........

[Jonty30]

The rumour on blind sites is that some D.R. distillery, that is own by an A+ actor, is sabotaging another distillery in an attempt to steal the business.

[IndispensableDestiny]

When in the DR, don’t drink the booze.

[Vermont Lt]

Seems to me that someone doesn’t want folks visiting the DR.

[Ken H]

Some people claim there’s a woman to blame.

[Red Badger]

The State Department should put out a warning to Americans headed to DR................

[Vermont Lt]

They are supposed to toss out the first several ounces of liquor from the still. I guess no one told Diego that.

[Magnum44]

It wasn’t the DR Buffett was singing about in “Cheeseburger in Paradise”?

[elcid1970]

Pretty soon D.R. is going to mean Drunks Retching.

[Red Badger]

When in the DR, don’t drink the booze.

Or the bottled soft drinks, or the water or anything..............

[ConservativeMind]

I thought that was the whole purpose of “Margaritaville.”