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Three Americans Have Mysteriously Died Days apart At The Same Dominican Republic Hotel

CanuckTravlr

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Something is terribly wrong in DR and their Minister of Health better react ASAP or their tourists populations and cruise populations is going to say bye bye DR.

Right now our plan, we will only visit the Caribbean via a cruise ship. We will not eat or purchase any beverages on any Caribbean island until this mysterious is solved.

In over 50 years of international travel, I have been fortunate to only become sick from food poisoning (or anything else) twice. The first time was a severe bout from improper refrigeration or food handling in Punta Cana, DR. Since we have had many friends and acquaintances also become sick in the DR, that normally have not experienced it elsewhere, we have chosen not to return. Like the DR, we have decided not to stay in places where you cannot drink the tap water. It is an important indication, IMO, of the state of health standards in a particular place.

Pedro, your plan to only eat and drink on cruise ships may work for you, or not. While places like the DR have experienced death and illness, the incidence rates are still relatively small compared to the millions of tourists visiting each year. But I agree, why take the chance? However, there have been many reports over the years, too, of deaths and illness occurring on cruise ships, including those of major lines. In some cases significant numbers of passengers suffering from illnesses like Legionnaire's disease. So sticking to them is not a guarantee either.

It is unfair, IMO, to tarnish the entire Caribbean due to some incidents on one island. The DR is one of the least wealthy and developed islands, so overall standards are much lower, IMO, which is what helps keep the prices low. There are several islands where visiting and consuming food and drink is quite safe, IME. That would include two of our favourites: St Martin and Barbados. You can actually drink the tap water on both islands and they generally have good safety and health procedures in place. There are also many other islands from which to choose.
 

Grammarhero

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I’m beginning to think I’d rather drink my own piss than visit DR.


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pedro47

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We enjoyed traveling to St. Lucia and the ABC Islands mainly because those cruises are more than eleven(11) days in cruise traveling.

Many of our friends are retiring in the Caribbean.
 

Grammarhero

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We enjoyed traveling to St. Lucia and the ABC Islands mainly because those cruises are more than eleven(11) days in cruise traveling.

Many of our friends are retiring in the Caribbean.

Pedro what is significance of 47?


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pedro47

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47...The year of birth. Plus, the name Pedro are the first letters of the first names of my "Five Best Friends" killed in the Vietnam War Conflict. Peter, Earl, Donald, Robert and Otis. We were all borned in the year of 1947 and we were all college graduates.:(
Love them then and I still Love & Missed them.

Your photo look liked a young couple I saw visiting GreenSprings Vacation Resort, Williamsburg,VA many, many years ago.
 
Last edited:

Grammarhero

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47...The year of birth. Plus, the name Pedro are the first letters of the first names of my "Five Best Friends" killed in the Vietnam War Conflict. Peter, Earl, Donald, Robert and Otis. We were all borned in the year of 1947 and we were all college graduates.:(
Love them then and I still Love & Missed them.

Your photo look liked a young couple I saw visiting GreenSprings Vacation Resort, Williamsburg,VA many, many years ago.

God Bless You. Thank you for your service and sacrifice. Sorry for your lost. Both my and my wife’s fathers were ARVN soldiers who lost biological brothers during the war. Talking about the war still makes them cry. Your service and sacrifice is personally meaningful to me and my wife.

My wife and I were in Williamsburg years ago, but I don’t believe we were at GreenSprings.


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"Roger"

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If you look at the chart "Canadian Deaths in Top Tourist Destinations" and then compare that with the list "Canadian Visits to Top Destinations," Canadians are dying in Mexico and Cuba pretty much at the same rate as in the Dominican Republic. In other words, given the statistics in this article, the Dominican Republic does not stand out.

2,225,000 Canadian visitors to Mexico in 2016 with large numbers also visiting Cuba and the Dominican Republic. These are very large numbers. I wonder how many Canadians (and I suspect this is mostly older clientele) would have died if they had stayed home during the same period of time.
 

moonstone

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The DR , Cuba & Mexico are by far the cheapest warm AI vacation destinations that Canadians can go to. When we were in Punta Cana a few winters ago the resort employees kept referring it as Punta Canada because there were so many Canadians in the area. I would like to see the statistics broken down by age to see if most of the deaths are older and possibly already health compromised.

About 10 yrs ago one of DH's co-workers went to the DR with his wife and another couple. The hubby of the other couple was stabbed in the lobby washroom on their last night at the resort. They had finished a nice dinner and were going to have a drink at the lobby bar before going to their rooms to pack but stopped to use the washroom. A guy was hanging out in there and asking people for spare change. Both of the guys refused since they had very little 'tip money' left at the end of their vacation. DH's co-worker left the washroom and went to the front desk to complain about the guy, leaving his buddy in the washroom finishing up. The desk clerk got the manager who in turn called a security guard to go with him to the washroom. While they were on their way across the lobby DH's co-worker heard his buddy yell then saw the guy run out of the washroom and through the lobby to outside. The co-worker and the 2 wives ran with the manager to the washroom where they found the man laying on the floor bleeding from the stomach area. The security guard took off outside chasing the guy but couldn't catch him. An ambulance was called and he was taken to the local hospital with stab wounds to his spleen and intestines. He had surgery to repair everything but ended up loosing his spleen. At least he survived! The resort made arrangements for the guys wife to stay at the resort while her hubby was in the hospital and had an employee drive her to the hospital and back every day. The tour company they had booked with changed their flights home at no extra charge. I don't know if the assaulter was ever caught, but both couples said they'd never return to the island.


~Diane
 

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CPNY

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The DR , Cuba & Mexico are by far the cheapest warm AI vacation destinations that Canadians can go to. When we were in Punta Cana a few winters ago the resort employees kept referring it as Punta Canada because there were so many Canadians in the area. I would like to see the statistics broken down by age to see if most of the deaths are older and possibly already health compromised.

About 10 yrs ago one of DH's co-workers went to the DR with his wife and another couple. The hubby of the other couple was stabbed in the lobby washroom on their last night at the resort. They had finished a nice dinner and were going to have a drink at the lobby bar before going to their rooms to pack but stopped to use the washroom. A guy was hanging out in there and asking people for spare change. Both of the guys refused since they had very little 'tip money' left at the end of their vacation. DH's co-worker left the washroom and went to the front desk to complain about the guy, leaving his buddy in the washroom finishing up. The desk clerk got the manager who in turn called a security guard to go with him to the washroom. While they were on their way across the lobby DH's co-worker heard his buddy yell then saw the guy run out of the washroom and through the lobby to outside. The co-worker and the 2 wives ran with the manager to the washroom where they found the man laying on the floor bleeding from the stomach area. The security guard took off outside chasing the guy but couldn't catch him. An ambulance was called and he was taken to the local hospital with stab wounds to his spleen and intestines. He had surgery to repair everything but ended up loosing his spleen. At least he survived! The resort made arrangements for the guys wife to stay at the resort while her hubby was in the hospital and had an employee drive her to the hospital and back every day. The tour company they had booked with changed their flights home at no extra charge. I don't know if the assaulter was ever caught, but both couples said they'd never return to the island.


~Diane
Wow...... that’s insane. I’ve been to the DR once, that was enough for me
 

pedro47

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Is this only an American tourists problem in DR? Are other countries tourists having the same problems in DR?
 

moonstone

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