Air Transat Passengers Report Feeling Sick

I am in Holguin right NOW - I live in Ottawa - it is food poisoning NOT virus -why?? because - symptoms - no temperature - no flu like symptomes - most od people = abour 1/4 resident - violently ill 4 or 5 times trrowing up - then must stay in bed for 2 days - hotels is doimg notning to warn people - affesting residents Germans/Canadians and British

What resort are you staying at? My family and I just got back from a resort in Holguin, on the 14th of this month and 2 of us are very sick. It started the day we left. If it was food poisoning would it of not been gone in a couple of days? This has lasted a full week for us. There was others in the resort that were sick as well. Any information from anybody will be helpful.

gordjenkins wrote:

I am in Holguin right NOW - I live in Ottawa - it is food poisoning NOT virus -why?? because - symptoms - no temperature - no flu like symptomes - most od people = abour 1/4 resident - violently ill 4 or 5 times trrowing up - then must stay in bed for 2 days - hotels is doimg notning to warn people - affesting residents Germans/Canadians and British

So the cheap caribean vacation turned out costly, right?

Chambers Family wrote:

What resort are you staying at? My family and I just got back from a resort in Holguin, on the 14th of this month and 2 of us are very sick. It started the day we left. If it was food poisoning would it of not been gone in a couple of days? This has lasted a full week for us. There was others in the resort that were sick as well. Any information from anybody will be helpful.

I stayed at Atlantis, Bahamas! No health issues here. Partying like an animal, as you can see!

Can you tell me which resorts are affected with stomach illness in Holguin, cuba??

Thank goodness we Americans aren't allowed to travel to Cuba. I have been going to Aruba for twenty years and enjoy their clean drinking water, freshly prepared food and crystal clean beaches.

gordjenkins wrote:

I am in Holguin right NOW - I live in Ottawa - it is food poisoning NOT virus -why?? because - symptoms - no temperature - no flu like symptomes - most od people = abour 1/4 resident - violently ill 4 or 5 times trrowing up - then must stay in bed for 2 days - hotels is doimg notning to warn people - affesting residents Germans/Canadians and British

What resort were you staying at in Holguin, Cuba?

What resort are you staying at in Holguin Cuba?

We stayed at the Club Amigo Atlantico - Guardalavaca in Holguin from the 7th - 14th

We are leaving in two days to stay at the blau costa verde beach resort in Holguin. Any suggestions what we should we avoid?

Brenda wrote:

What resort are you staying at in Holguin Cuba?

I am at Blau now and have been sick all week, do think it's food poisoning due to the timing and symptoms. Bring Immodium, gravol, peanut butter gas x. etc. Weather's great, just haven't gone to the beach in 5 days.

The Blau is not far from where we were staying. It is only 25 minutes away. I would avoid the bacon, it had a strong rancid taste to it. The 2 of us who are sick did eat the bacon. I am not sure if it is food poisoning because of the length of time we have had this but I am no doctor. We are going on 9 days and the stomach pains seem to be getting stronger! Doctor appointment is tomorrow so maybe I will be able to shed a little more light on this subject. Yes, bring lots of Immodium, gravol and gas x. That is the only way we were able to make the flight back home! Good luck Brenda and Ronni, feel better soon.

sandstorm wrote:

Thank goodness we Americans aren't allowed to travel to Cuba. I have been going to Aruba for twenty years and enjoy their clean drinking water, freshly prepared food and crystal clean beaches.

Nothing is for sure. The sickest I've ever been was from food poisoning in Aruba. Whole group of us taken out for the second half of the trip.

I was at the Hotel Sol Rio Del Lunes y Mares - in my estimation at least half the hotel guests were sick.. I really don't know the exact virus but I do know the Doctor did his best to "fix" us with electrolites and pills to stop the cramps - the cost was 60 to 100. dollars for this medicine that I do feel the hotel should have covered..for people that had to go home on the plane this problem would have been a nightmare.. my husband was hanging on by his finger nails trying not to throw up etc.... I also felt sorry for the people that were arriving at the airport as we were waiting to board our plane home.. maybe the flights should have been stopped till all was well..

We've stayed in Paradisus in Holguin and are still sick week after return.I did not eat much meat,mostly fish.Since there is many resorts involved maybe this is not resort related but rather food supplies from the main supplier?-not sure how it works there...we had medication with us but nothing helped

That is why I don't go there.

My husband and I just returned from Varadero yesterday. We hadn't heard of the Holguin illness until we got home.

Today, we both have stomach cramps, feel like crap and have very loose bowel movements. We did have one day during the week where we both had diarrhea. We just figure it was something we ate.

Has anyone other than people who stayed in Holguin complained of this illness? I imagine it wouldn't take long to affect other parts of Cuba.

It's the Norovirus otherwise known as Norwalk Virus. Cuba is riddled with it, and it is very risky to go there, Asymptomatic carriers during the incubation period infect food, surfaces, dinnerware etc. Cleaning agents and antiseptics are scarce in Cuba. Alcohol based antiseptics and soap are ineffective. You need Clorine, autoclave, and sophisticated antiseptics which are mostly unavailable in Cuba.

By the way, it's in Haiti also, so far the Dominican Republic has not been hit yet.

There are several strains, and past infection does not grant you immunity.

Folks,
We just came back from Playa Pesquero with Sunwing. We returned back on sunday, flight 643, which was delayed due to a medical emergency - a man fainted and was transferred to a hospital ("poisoning", again). To my knowledge, he stayed at Blau Costa Verde. We went two families - all 4 adults got "poisoned". One of us has more severe symptoms, another not as severe.
Judging by my meal pattern, I have a strong suspicion this is a sea food, in particular fish fillet and calamari. I was eating seafood most of the time, but took whole fish, not fillet AND requesting it well-done in my eyes, on a grill (Yareyal Restaurant, next to a pool).
On Friday, they did not have the whole fish, just a fillet. When served, both fish and calamari were not cooked through. I only eat some of it, didn't finish, but in 5-6 hours, I started feeling sick. Threw up all night, with diarrhea. I went to medical office next day and was 6th in line - people are showing up in droves, every 10-15 mins, with same symptoms. I believe, the problem is during meal times, they don't cook it properly, hence the problem.
Thanks God, our kids did not eat seafood, mostly pasta and poultry/pork, which my wife checked to be cooked through.

What I am appalled is that neither travel agency warned travellers at the hotel. There is no wi-fi, and people have no knowledge this is happening. I consider checking this with my lawer, if there is a merit for a class action...