Posted on 02/14/2004 8:51:38 PM PST by ex-Texan
Republican Government Officials Infected with "Mystery Bug"
PHILADELPHIA - Health officials are investigating an outbreak of illnesses at a Philadelphia hotel that recently played host to about 200 Republican leaders, including President Bush.
At least 69 guests at the Loews Philadelphia Hotel - all attending a business conference - went to the hospital last week when a mystery bug caused dizziness and vomiting. More fell ill, but did not seek medical attention.
In addition, two people at a GOP retreat to discuss party policy Jan. 29-31 - a member of House Speaker Dennis Hastert's staff and a second staff member's spouse - became ill the day after checking out, an aide to the Illinois Republican said Tuesday. Neither was hospitalized.
Philadelphia Health Department spokesman Jeff Moran said investigators are looking at several possible causes for the outbreak, including food contamination and the Norwalk virus, an illness that has been known to afflict travelers on cruise ships.
Most of the sicknesses did not occur until several days after the Republicans left. Moran said there was nothing to indicate the outbreak was linked to the GOP gathering, and no foul play was suspected.
Hardest hit were employees of Cendant Mortgage meeting Feb. 2 for a sales conference. Jeanine Dooley, a spokesman for the Mount Laurel, N.J.-based company, said 69 employees sought treatment in emergency rooms. "Everyone is fine now," she said.
About 13 employees of Cytogen Corp., an oncology pharmaceutical group based in Princeton, N.J., also became sick but did not seek medical attention, said senior sales director Corey Jacklin. The meeting was Feb. 2-8.
"It was like a stomach virus, like a 24-hour bug," Jacklin said.
Valerie Ferguson, regional vice president and managing director for Loews, said the company hopes to know the origin of the outbreak within a few weeks, and praised the city for doing a "thorough job" investigating.
City health officials were contacting hotel guests to ask what they ate, and some have been tested, which may help identify the illness, Moran said. There have been no new cases in several days.
The Lord save us all and I pray for America each day.
You mean guilty because they pushed those scumbag Democrat-style bills through?
We'd have to compare who got sick and who voted for them.
Moran said there was nothing to indicate the outbreak was linked to the GOP gathering, and no foul play was suspected... no Comrade... it was just a coincidence.
If it was the Rats who became ill, we'd probably see "Republicans Launch Biological Warfare Against Democrat Enemies!" all over the media for the next 9 months. The media loves a good anti-Republican non-story.
CPAC - Add Darlie & I to that CPAC CRUD list. My version ran through me in 6 hours while Darlie's was 3 days.
"An obscure disease targets the Republican leaders. Only the Mujahadeen have the answers. The American authorities started an investigation into an obscure skin disease that targeted tens of officials in the American Republican Party. And one of hotels in the American city of Philadelphia has received about 200 of the leaders of this party, among them President George Bush but it is unclear if he was affected by that. And the authorities there said that at least 69 leaders and the Republican Party members were injured by a strange and obscure skin disease that caused ulcerations and a troublesome itch after their stay at the Loews Hotel in Philadelphia.
And the uniqueness of this accident affected Denis Hastert the Speaker of the House and his assistants and some other members who were at the hotel. And the authorities said that they started the investigation to determine the cause of this disease that may have come from a variety of sources, including eating contaminated food or some type of unknown bug. * * * "
From NewsPundit.net
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The thought of anyone puking on Russert really brought a hugh grin to my face!!!
Yep, that was my first thought.
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