A Maple Ridge family got caught up in what appears to be a mass illness while staying at an all-inclusive resort in Mexico.
Sheena Robinson said she and at least 100 other guests became severely ill while staying at Sandos Playacar Resort in Playa Del Carmen.
Four members of her family were all sick within 24-36 hours of arriving, in a "relentless," illness with vomiting and diarrhea.
"But as awful as that was, the treatment from the hotel made everything even worse," she said. "We waited on hold for hours trying to get help, only to be hung up on or told to wait another 2-4 hours for simple necessities.
"At one point, we had no towels, no sheets on our beds, and garbage cans full of vomit," she wrote in social media. "I had to physically drag myself to guest services to demand help."
She also listed other issues with their hotel room, including a sewage smell when tap water was running. The Robinson family was part of a group of 32 people, most from the Lower Mainland, who arrived on Feb. 17 for a wedding.
Robinson has a daughter, who has a nut allergy and did not eat the same food from the buffet, who did not get sick.
"This trip was supposed to be a dream vacation for our family, but instead, it was stressful, emotional, and completely ruined," said Robinson.
There are reports of other guests needing medical attention, and children treated for severe dehydration, after staying at the same resort.
Robinson has joined a call for the Mexican authorities to investigate, as there have been numerous similar instances reported in media and online.
A Winnipeg wedding photographer from a different group had a similar experience with his family on a stay at the resort from Feb. 12-19.
According to online posts and media reports, there were guests from Canada, Argentina and Chile who have been known to have been sick at the resort.
Sandos Playacar responded to social media posts from guests, saying there has been reported gastrointestinal illnesses across various destinations, and their resort "promptly reinforced its already strict sanitary protocols to ensure the safety and well-being of our guests."
"As part of our commitment to health, we have intensified hygiene measures throughout the resort, conducting continuous disinfection with highly effective products..."
"In coordination with health authorities, ongoing investigations and various tests are being conducted," the post continued.
They reported closing the buffet, calling it a high-traffic area where guest interaction could facilitate the spread of pathogens.
"Thanks to these timely actions, no new cases have been reported to date," said the resort.
"We deeply regret any inconvenience caused by this situation and reaffirm our commitment to implementing all necessary actions to ensure a safe and enjoyable stay."
