The number of people affected by a mysterious "bunny-flu" after attending a party at the playboy mansion has now risen to 170. Most of the victims were bitten by the mystery bug within 48 hours of attending a Playboy mansion fundraising event on February 3. Symptoms included respiratory problems, fever and severe headaches. The event at Hugh Hefner`s mansion was part of the DOMAINfest global internet conference attended by nearly 700 guests from all over the globe. Many of the victims were bedridden for up to a week after contacting the illness.

United States health officials are baffled by the mystery bug and although they suspect it to an outbreak of legionnaires type disease, nothing conclusive has been established yet. A fog machine in use at the Playboy mansion is suspected to be the source of the virus but all possibilities are being explored. One of the officials of the conference said that they were working with the health department to ascertain the cause of the virus. "We have no idea what this is and where it came from. The mansion being to blame is at the moment, pure speculation" said the official. The playboy mansion party was the grand finale of the three day conference and there were parties held at the Fairmont hotel in Santa Monica on the first night and on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood on the second night. Since most of the guests attended all the three parties, health officials are investigating all the three venues as the possible starting place of the virus.