Finally there is a report from someone other than an American!
Brit couple ‘poisoned by air con’ in Dominican Republic 'death' resort
ETA I hope they are in contact with the MD couple’s family because this sounds like this could have been exactly what caused their deaths in the same hotel.
This is huge and confirms that the deaths of Day/Holmes were not simply "naturally causes," but probably due to pesticide fumes contaminating their room through AC units.
1) The Brit couple (ages 53 and 59) were traveling with their son, son's partner, and 9-yr-old grandkid. ALL FIVE of them got sick after spending no more than 30 minutes in their adjoining rooms. Can't pass it off as illness merely due to older age/poor health.
2) Brit couple took photos showing rooms sealed off. According to them, 11 of the rooms were sealed off with "Do not Disturb" signs when they first came but the hotel let them stay in the same area anyway:
"She is relieved
her husband, who owns a company which installs and maintains air conditioners, recognised the danger and demanded they move building."
3) The family got sick on May 29th at the same hotel as Day/Holmes, who died on May 30 after reporting illness that morning. Timeline strongly suggests the cause of the family's illness is connected to the cause of Day/Holmes death.
4) Saddest part is this:
“We feel devastated that we didn’t knock on the other doors now to see if they had the same problem as us." It's really too bad they didn't, but who could have guessed something so horrible would happen and people would actually die? Holmes and Day would be alive now had they not spent the night of May 29 in their room, I believe.
---
Of note, I was on vacation once (not in DR) and when I entered my hotel I immediately noticed a toxic smell. Began feeling sick with bad headache and dizziness. I demanded a new room. The hotel manager came into the room and claimed he didn't smell anything and tried to make me feel bad for requesting a room change but I didn't budge. Finally they changed my room but it smelled awful too! Again the hotel refused to acknowledge anything awry in the room and just acted very annoyed and inconvenienced by my complaints. I ended up switching hotels. I never read about anyone dying there but who knows what is and isn't reported.
---
Generally speaking, I agree that many of the deaths seem to be pesticide-related, probably organophosphates. It seems the toxic drinks from the minibar may be a separate issue.