Dozens of Canadian Tourists Sick After Returning From Mexico

Dozens of Canadians have come home from Mexico dealing with vomiting, abdominal cramps, and intense stomach pain – some even requiring hospitalization.

Kelly Bennett and her family made the trip from Hamilton, Ontario, to the Royalton Splash Riviera in Cancun. They had a few great days at the resort, but by the third day of the trip, they started feeling sick.

Bennett said people were dropping like flies, five or six at a time, and it seemed to spread fast among guests at the hotel. Many families ended up stuck in their rooms.

The kids in her group also fell ill; some spent most of the day sleeping in bed, while others slept on towels by the pool.

The adults who fell ill were pretty much stuck in the bathroom.

Once they were back in Canada, they finally got answers; doctors diagnosed them with norovirus, a highly contagious virus that often causes diarrhea and vomiting.

Bennett said her son still hasn’t fully recovered; he still has parasites in his stool.

Another person in their group had to cancel a planned outing because of the illness.

According to Bennett, that individual was later asked to sign a non-disclosure agreement about the outbreak.

Warren Carrierer and his girlfriend, Nicole, went through something similar.

After they returned to Vancouver Island, Nicole’s condition worsened and she ended up hospitalized for several days.

Carrierer described the experience as a nightmare; they were dealing with constant vomiting, severe cramping, diarrhea, and nonstop stomach pain.

He said doctors eventually ran tests and confirmed Nicole had an E. coli infection.

Other travellers are sharing similar stories on Facebook; many say they stayed at resorts in Mexico in February and returned home feeling sick.

Wayne Smith, who works with Toronto Metropolitan University’s Institute for Hospitality and Tourism, says ongoing tensions between the United States and Cuba are encouraging more Canadians to pick Mexico for their holidays instead.

In 2025, about 2.8 million Canadians headed to Mexico for vacation, and that number has only continued to trend upwards.

When it comes to the non-disclosure agreements, Smith doubts they would hold up in court.

He said it could be argued that someone signed the agreement while under medical distress, and because of that, no court would enforce the agreement.

He also stressed the importance of having travel insurance before travelling, including coverage that allows you to cancel for any reason.

Dr. Isaac Bogoch, an infectious diseases specialist, said outbreaks like this are not unusual and tend to happen from time to time.

He added that Canadians should be cautious about what they eat while travelling in Mexico and not assume the same food safety standards they are used to at home.