Hugh Hefner Tweets: ‘Guests Didn’t Get Sick at Playboy Mansion’

Over 200 people were sickened after a fundraiser at the publisher’s legendary home

Hugh Hefner took to Twitter on Tuesday to hit back at reports that 200 guests were sickened after attending a fundraiser at the Playboy Mansion.

"Despite rumors, there is no real evidence that anyone got I'll at the Playboy Mansion, but we're cooperating with health officials," Hefner tweeted.

As Hefner noted, the hundreds of people stricken with respiratory infections were attending DOMAINfest, a conference for internet entrepreneurs hosted at Santa Monica's Fairmont Miramar Hotel.

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The Playboy party was held at the end of the three-day event.

“We are considering several possible causes of illness for this suspected outbreak,” Dr. Jonathan E. Fielding, director of the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health, said in a statement. “We are working diligently to identify the causes, which may include viruses, bacteria or irritants.”

According to the department, symptoms include fever, chills, malaise and coughing.

A spokesperson for Playboy did not immediately respond to TheWrap's requests for comment. 

Hefner said that the health department had cleared the mansion to host a party this coming Saturday. 

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