CNN
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Police are currently investigating after seven tourists sought hospital treatment for suspected poisoning after drinking cocktails at a bar at a luxury resort in Fiji.
Four Australians and three other people believed to be foreigners were taken to hospital on Saturday after being served drinks made at the Warwick Fiji bar.
Fiji’s Ministry of Health said the tourists, aged between 18 and 56, suffered from nausea, vomiting and “neurological symptoms”.
By late Monday, the two remained in Lautoka Hospital’s intensive care unit in stable condition. The others have been discharged from hospital, Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliam R. Gaboka said.
The incident comes just weeks after six tourists died from methanol poisoning after drinking at a bar in Laos, triggering safety warnings against drinking abroad.
Asked if methanol was the cause, Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Care Permanent Secretary Dr. Jemesa Tudravu said it was too early to tell.
“The results of the investigation are not yet available, but we won’t know whether the spike was the cause or some other cause until the investigation is complete,” he said at a news conference Monday.
Sydney resident David Sandow told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he received a call to say his daughter and granddaughter were among the patients in hospital. He said they were among a group of people who drank pina colada cocktails before falling ill.
“There was a group of them in a lounge at this resort, drinking similar cocktails, and unfortunately seven of them developed the symptoms that are being talked about,” Sand said.
He said his relatives were scheduled to fly home late Monday.
Australian media reports said one of the sick tourists was an American. The US Embassy in Fiji told CNN it was aware of the report but had nothing to add.
Mr Gaboka, who is also Fiji’s tourism minister, assured travelers to the Pacific nation that the incident was “extremely isolated”.
“There have been no other incidents reported at the resort or throughout Fiji. The resort has been operating successfully in Fiji for many years and maintains a strong reputation, particularly among visitors from Australia.” said in a statement on Monday.
“Resort management has assured us that they have not done anything such as substituting ingredients or changing the quality of drinks served to guests,” he added.
Warwick Hotels and Resorts operates luxury lodging properties around the world, including the United States, Europe and the Middle East.
In Fiji, a king suite with views of palm trees and the vast Pacific Ocean costs around $500 a night.
Warwick Fiji said in a statement that it takes the matter “very seriously”.
“While there are no definitive details at this time, we are fully committed to ensuring the safety and health of our guests,” the hotel said in a statement.
Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers confirmed the four Australians were receiving support from department staff.
He said the situation was “very worrying” and pointed to the latest travel advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to be careful of drink spiking and alcohol poisoning in Fiji.
“Don’t leave drinks unattended, be careful when mixing drinks and seek emergency medical attention if something seems wrong,” he said.
Gaboka said nearly one million tourists visit the island each year, and thousands of tourists are currently vacationing on the Pacific island.
“This is the only reported case of this type that we have experienced recently, and certainly we have never experienced a case like this this year,” he said.
“While we understand the concerns, we would like to emphasize that the tourist experience in Fiji is generally very safe. And we believe that these guests at this resort have become ill. We took immediate action to determine the cause.”
In November, several Western countries decided to issue a ban on tainted alcohol after two Australian teenagers, a British woman, an American man, and two Danish women died after drinking alcohol in Laos. It issued a warning that ingestion could lead to fatal consequences.
