Texas couple dies of unknown illness on Fiji getaway

[scriabina]

Texas couple vacationing in Fiji dies from unknown illness

"A Texas couple vacationing in Fiji died from an unknown illness, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson said Monday...

"Some time after they arrived, Michelle Paul called her father to tell him she and her husband were experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, and their hands were numb. They went to a clinic and then to a hospital, where they were treated and then released. Calanog said David Paul was given IV bags to treat his symptoms, but Michelle Paul was not.

"Then, Calanog learned that his son-in-law was in critical condition and was supposed to be transferred to a hospital in Australia, "but he never made it."

"On May 25, the day before the couple was supposed to leave Fiji to return home, Michelle Paul's family received a call that she had died, her sister-in-law, Tracey Calanog, told NBC News."

This is really strange. I am guessing they ate something that was contaminated, perhaps Ciguatera fish poisoning, which can be lethal: Human fatality associated with Pacific ciguatoxin contaminated fish. - PubMed - NCBI Adverse effects of ciguatera poisoning are vomiting & diarrhea first, then later numbness in hands/feet. Another cardinal symptom is allodynia (a reversal of hot and cold sensations), which wasn't mentioned in the brief article. I wish they released more info on the timing of their symptoms, what/where they ate and if they had been swimming/exposed to reef fish.

If food poisoning, how many more people may have been exposed? There don't seem to be any reports of similar deaths.

It is odd they have not figured out the cause of death after over a week now. Hope they tested for ciguatoxin and other potential toxins in the liver post-mortem. Wonder what they've ruled out.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Texas couple vacationing in Fiji dies from unknown illness

"A Texas couple vacationing in Fiji died from an unknown illness, a U.S. Department of State spokesperson said Monday...

"Some time after they arrived, Michelle Paul called her father to tell him she and her husband were experiencing vomiting and diarrhea, and their hands were numb. They went to a clinic and then to a hospital, where they were treated and then released. Calanog said David Paul was given IV bags to treat his symptoms, but Michelle Paul was not.

"Then, Calanog learned that his son-in-law was in critical condition and was supposed to be transferred to a hospital in Australia, "but he never made it."

"On May 25, the day before the couple was supposed to leave Fiji to return home, Michelle Paul's family received a call that she had died, her sister-in-law, Tracey Calanog, told NBC News."

This is really strange. I am guessing they ate something that was contaminated, perhaps Ciguatera fish poisoning, which can be lethal: Human fatality associated with Pacific ciguatoxin contaminated fish. - PubMed - NCBI Adverse effects of ciguatera poisoning are vomiting & diarrhea first, then later numbness in hands/feet. Another cardinal symptom is allodynia (a reversal of hot and cold sensations), which wasn't mentioned in the brief article. I wish they released more info on the timing of their symptoms, what/where they ate and if they had been swimming/exposed to reef fish.

If food poisoning, how many more people may have been exposed? There don't seem to be any reports of similar deaths.

It is odd they have not figured out the cause of death after over a week now. Hope they tested for ciguatoxin and other potential toxins in the liver post-mortem. Wonder what they've ruled out.

I think you're on the right track. Not many infectious diseases take down healthy young people. Food poisoning with neurotoxicity would do it though.

 

[JDG]

Any kind of bacterial infection could have caused these deaths.

Its good that the CDC is getting samples for testing and 'interesting' that Public Health measures were put in place when this couple were seen at hospital.

Allodynia is a change in sensation, feeling pain from a non-painful stimuli etc. Some people with allodynia cannot stand the pain from even a bed sheet on them.

With the numb hands, it does sound like something involving the nervous system as well as the GI system.

Whatever it was, it was very quick and lethal.

Whenever I hear of people dying in/after being in hotels, I think of Legionnaires disease even if they have diarrhea and vomiting. Just not the cleanest of places, their air ducts etc.

ETA: Legionnaires can come on in as little as 2 days. 2-14 days is onset and its often thought to be a regular pneumonia.

ETA: I bet Fijians just don't want this news to spread. They rely on tourism and this is not good at all. Esp. if there is much delay in getting the answers.

It may well be something they had and were unaware, caught it just before leaving???

 

[PrairieWind]

Strange. They got sick right after arriving if I am reading that correct and were dead in days. Very healthy young people. Its very sad that they had a 2 year old together and he had 3 other children from previous relationship. I hate hearing about children losing their parents.

 

[Curiousobserver]

Any kind of bacterial infection could have caused these deaths.

Its good that the CDC is getting samples for testing and 'interesting' that Public Health measures were put in place when this couple were seen at hospital.

Allodynia is a change in sensation, feeling pain from a non-painful stimuli etc. Some people with allodynia cannot stand the pain from even a bed sheet on them.

With the numb hands, it does sound like something involving the nervous system as well as the GI system.

Whatever it was, it was very quick and lethal.

Whenever I hear of people dying in/after being in hotels, I think of Legionnaires disease even if they have diarrhea and vomiting. Just not the cleanest of places, their air ducts etc.

ETA: I bet Fijians just don't want this news to spread. They rely on tourism and this is not good at all. Esp. if there is a much delay in getting the answers.

It may well be something they had and were unaware, caught it just before leaving???

Could be bacterial, need more data. They were sick very fast for legionnaires however.

Reading more about the Ciguatera- Neurotoxin fits many of the symptoms and the rapid time course but this is rarely fatal according to reports. Still a toxin or a drug seem most likely.

 

[PrairieWind]

Now there is an American couple found dead in their room in the Dominican Republic. Sad.

 

[scriabina]

Now there is an American couple found dead in their room in the Dominican Republic. Sad.

And a few days before that couple was found dead in their hotel room from pulmonary edema and respiratory failure, a 41-yr-old woman dropped dead at the SAME hotel with the SAME cause of death! Added thread for this here: Dominican Republic: Three found dead in same resort with same cause of death

 

[human]

Tropical hotels spray with who knows what to kill insects. People on vacation want paradise and that means no bugs.

I live in a tropical third world nation and the island gets the worst goods. Everyone calls it colony quality.

For instance, my husband bought an American name brand set of hinges. They were so distorted that they could not be used.

We joke about the banned substances that are sent here, ,but now it is not so amusing.

I see workers spreading chlorine powder in the pool with bare hands and no mask. I know that the fancy resort does not have adequate septic and that there is discharge into the ocean right in front of a resort.

Sailboats anchor. They are supposed to dump their tanks out in the ocean, but what do they do if they have been moored for over a week?

Paradise is not as lovely as it looks.

 

[Tbone144]

Animal lovers help track down dog that belonged to couple who died in Fiji


Animal lovers help track down dog that belonged to couple who died in Fiji

(Via KHOU 11)

 

[scriabina]

New article: Father of Woman Who Died of Mysterious Illness in Fiji Speaks Out About Telling Her Son

"As of Wednesday, Marc tells PEOPLE that the autopsy report for the couple had been completed, but he had not yet received the official document or death certificate in the mail.

"He also notes that the couple’s bodies still remain on the island until it is determined through forensic investigation that the illness is not infectious. If it is, their bodies will have to be cremated."

 

[scriabina]

Tropical hotels spray with who knows what to kill insects. People on vacation want paradise and that means no bugs.

I live in a tropical third world nation and the island gets the worst goods. Everyone calls it colony quality.

For instance, my husband bought an American name brand set of hinges. They were so distorted that they could not be used.

We joke about the banned substances that are sent here, ,but now it is not so amusing.

I see workers spreading chlorine powder in the pool with bare hands and no mask. I know that the fancy resort does not have adequate septic and that there is discharge into the ocean right in front of a resort.

Sailboats anchor. They are supposed to dump their tanks out in the ocean, but what do they do if they have been moored for over a week?

Paradise is not as lovely as it looks.

Interesting (and distressing) perspective. Thank you!

From the article cited above, relatives state how much the couple loved the water:

"“They loved water,” he says of the couple... “Every weekend, they were at the beach. My daughter loved surfing, snorkeling, and just walking on the beach.”"

I'm still thinking the most likely cause of death was from some toxic sea creature like ciguatera. Very eager to know the results from the autopsy.

 

[scriabina]

Investigation into couple's mysterious death in Fiji could take weeks, officials say

New article.
-CDC is involved and investigation could take weeks.
-Includes text messages sent from victim

"David Paul's sister, Rebecca Ward, told ABC News that her brother awoke after resting in their hotel room and his wife was "clammy and sweating, and he was too weak to take her to the hospital himself."

"When the couple returned to the hospital, it was too late for Michelle Paul. She died on May 25.

""They couldn't get her an IV, couldn't revive her, and that's when she passed away," Ward said. "Not long after that, my brother ended up at the hotel, then later on that day he went back to the hospital. He got released again and we thought he would be able to come home."

"David Paul died two days later."

It's very odd that after Michelle died, David "ended up at the hotel," then back at the hospital and then released again before dying. Shouldn't they have kept him at the hospital and continued providing care for him? Maybe he would still be alive today.

Terribly sad.

 

[Vivyinsect]

Oddly enough, I got this story from a Pro-med mail update and was punching in Ciguatera to look at the maps. I’ve been witness to this first hand and within reading the first few symptoms, it’s a pretty good match. By the time the first neurological symptoms occur, you have to get to the E.r. Within 24 hours. The sickness can relapse for years to follow. CDC tries to map out cases. They are likely to occur during red tide algal blooms.

 

[LadyL]

ANOTHER tropical getaway mysterious death?! what is going on .....

 

[HMSHood]

US couple's death in Fiji: American couple’s family tell of anguish of losing a loved one - The Fiji Times

If there is anyone who understands the pain and anguish of losing a loved one in an isolated hospital bed, it would have to be the family members of the late David and Michelle Paul. The American couple were on holiday in Nadi when they both got sick and died in May last year to […]

www.fijitimes.com

The most recent article about the case. The cause of death has not been released. Looks mostly poisoning. I wonder if they were targeted.

 

[annpats]

US couple's death in Fiji: American couple’s family tell of anguish of losing a loved one - The Fiji Times

If there is anyone who understands the pain and anguish of losing a loved one in an isolated hospital bed, it would have to be the family members of the late David and Michelle Paul. The American couple were on holiday in Nadi when they both got sick and died in May last year to […]

www.fijitimes.com

The most recent article about the case. The cause of death has not been released. Looks mostly poisoning. I wonder if they were targeted.

But it happened in 2019, how has the cause of death still not been released?! Were their bodies flown home for burial?

 

[annpats]

But it happened in 2019, how has the cause of death still not been released?! Were their bodies flown home for burial?

It's OK, I've answered my own question.

According to the article below:
"The US couple’s bodies were shipped to Delaware for further tests by expert pathologists 52 days after their passing."

But still no answers!!!!!

Well, surely the U.S. pathologists in Delaware would have an answer by now!

What's with all the silence?!

Family seeks truth in couple’s death - The Fiji Times

THE father of an American woman, who died along with her husband while on holiday in Fiji last May, says he does not understand why the couple’s final autopsy report has not been released. Marc Canalog said he also could not understand the delay in the return of his daughter Michelle Paul’s...

www.fijitimes.com

 

[scriabina]

It's OK, I've answered my own question.

According to the article below:
"The US couple’s bodies were shipped to Delaware for further tests by expert pathologists 52 days after their passing."

But still no answers!!!!!

Well, surely the U.S. pathologists in Delaware would have an answer by now!

What's with all the silence?!

Family seeks truth in couple’s death - The Fiji Times

THE father of an American woman, who died along with her husband while on holiday in Fiji last May, says he does not understand why the couple’s final autopsy report has not been released. Marc Canalog said he also could not understand the delay in the return of his daughter Michelle Paul’s...

www.fijitimes.com

Yes, the last article is from 2020! Autopsy results were never released. Seems someone is trying very hard to keep the reason for their deaths private.

 

[Seattle1]

It's OK, I've answered my own question.

According to the article below:
"The US couple’s bodies were shipped to Delaware for further tests by expert pathologists 52 days after their passing."

But still no answers!!!!!

Well, surely the U.S. pathologists in Delaware would have an answer by now!

What's with all the silence?!

Family seeks truth in couple’s death - The Fiji Times

THE father of an American woman, who died along with her husband while on holiday in Fiji last May, says he does not understand why the couple’s final autopsy report has not been released. Marc Canalog said he also could not understand the delay in the return of his daughter Michelle Paul’s...

www.fijitimes.com

Thanks for that update. The last I'd read was when Michelle's body was returned to Henderson, NV two months later for a religious ceremony after her parents refused Fiji's offer for cremation.

EXCLUSIVE: Henderson family receives daughter's body from Fiji 7/29/19