A group of Jimmy Buffett superfans, otherwise known as “Parrotheads” are being treated for parasites after becoming very ill while vacationing in the Dominican Republic. 114 Jimmy Buffett fans came together to vacation at the Hotel Riu Palace Macao in Punta Cana last April.
Out of the 114, 47 of them got very sick, and experienced “diarrhea, vomiting, dizziness, and headaches,” according to PEOPLE. The group’s travel agent, Dana Flowers, who is also a member of the Central Oklahoma Parrothead Association spoke out on the incident.
Read the statement below
Dana said that “everyone who became sick either swam in one specific pool or drank at the swim-up bar. When they sought medical treatment, the resort’s on-site doctor prescribed a medicine for parasites. [They] didn’t do any testing, they just automatically gave them medicine for parasites. Upon returning home from the trip, two members of the group tested positive for salmonella.
Dana comes down with the illness and says she lost 14 pounds since she got sick. Even months after getting ill on the vacation, Dana and her fellow Parrotheads still aren’t feeling very well. The hotel issues a statement, claiming that it was a case of gastroenteritis spread by other guests.
More statements about the illnesses
Hotel Riu Palace Macao said, “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.”
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There continues to be an ongoing health crisis in the Dominican Republic and the FBI and CDC are currently launching investigations to find out what is truly going on. At least six American tourists have died while vacationing in the Dominican Republic since last summer. Many of the deaths are strange and similar.
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Until the illnesses and deaths decrease, it’s best to stay away from vacationing there. What do you think about all of these strange illnesses and deaths in the Dominican Republic right now? As of the time of posting, Jimmy Buffett and his team have not released a statement on this incident.
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