Six tourists have been hospitalized after drinking pina coladas at a Fiji resort. According to Fiji’s Ministry of Health, the patients included four Australians, one American and two others. Officials said the Fiji case was isolated but similar to recent tourist deaths. Laos.
A group of tourists were taken to hospital after drinking cocktails at a five-star resort in Fiji.
According to Fiji’s Ministry of Health, the seven tourists were aged between 18 and 56, including four Australians, one American and two of an unspecified nationality.
They were taken to Sigatoka Hospital after suffering nausea, vomiting and “neurological symptoms” after drinking pina coladas at the Warwick Fiji Hotel, according to the Fiji Times.
Fijian authorities said in a Facebook post on Monday that the patients were taken to Lautoka Hospital for further treatment.
Six people were hospitalized for treatment, officials said. It is unclear what happened to the seventh person.
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliam Gaboka said as of Monday night, four people had been discharged from hospital and two were in stable condition in the ICU.
The incident comes after six tourists were killed in a similar incident in Laos. According to media reports, Laotian authorities suspect he drank moonshine containing methanol.
Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill told Radio New Zealand on Monday that authorities in Fiji are taking the incident “very seriously” but that what happened was different from the incident in Laos. “It’s a long way off,” he said.
He said they do not suspect anything “malicious” and are awaiting toxicology results.
When asked if methanol was the cause, Fiji Ministry of Health permanent secretary Jemesa Tudrav said authorities did not yet know, according to local media.
Australian David Sandow, whose daughter and granddaughter were also treated, told Australia’s ABC on Monday that his relatives had been discharged from hospital and were scheduled to fly home on Monday night’s flight.
He said they were “doing very well considering what they’ve been through.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation Viliam Gaboka described the incident as a “very isolated” incident and could not recall any other similar cases.
Warwick Fiji Hotel told the BBC it was “carrying out a thorough investigation” to “gather all necessary information” while awaiting test results.
Methanol is a tasteless, colorless alcohol commonly found in detergents, adhesives, and paints that can cause drowsiness, decreased level of consciousness, confusion, headaches, dizziness, and inability to coordinate muscle movements.
It can cause nausea, vomiting, and heart and respiratory failure, which usually appear after 1 to 72 hours, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
According to Médecins Sans Frontières, Asia has the highest incidence of methanol poisoning in the world, with Indonesia topping the list.
Fijian authorities and the Warwick Fiji Hotel did not immediately respond to requests for comment outside of business hours.
