More than 50 British tourists, most of them teens, were hospitalized in DC over the weekend after getting sick in New York, officials said Monday.
The group was staying at Hotel Harrington in downtown DC Sunday, when one teen reported having “gastrointestinal distress” — and then the others followed suit
“One by one people began indicating they were feeling ill,” DC Fire and EMS public information officer Vito Maggiolo told The Post.
Many had already been feeling under the weather while they were still in New York — and the hotel’s manager says they were already sick when they arrived.
At least a dozen ultimately reported symptoms including nausea and vomiting, and officials decided to take the entire group — 48 teens and three adults — to four local hospitals as a precaution.
It’s still unclear exactly what made them ill.
“Initially we thought it might be food poisoning, but we can’t say that now. I can’t confirm what it was,” said Maggiolo.
By Monday, most of the visitors had returned to their rooms, according to the hotel’s manager.
G.N. Miller“Hopefully they all recover as quickly as they can and can continue on their tour,” said Ann Terry.
Maggiolo couldn’t say immediately what the group was doing in the US.
The DC Department of Health and the DC Department of Energy and Environment will look into the situation, he added. The NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene also said it is investigating.
