Seven tourists hospitalized after drinking alcohol at a luxury resort in Fiji were not poisoned, authorities said. Here’s what we know:

Seven tourists hospitalized in Fiji last weekend after drinking cocktails at a luxury hotel had no symptoms of poisoning from tainted alcohol, the country’s officials said.

Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliam Gaboka told reporters on Wednesday that a toxicology report showed “no evidence of alcohol intoxication.”

“We can confirm that no illegal substances or methanol were detected in the raw materials or alcohol samples,” Gaboka said, according to the Associated Press, adding: “This is great news for Fiji, especially for our vital tourism industry.”

what happened?

The guests (including one American, four Australians and two unidentified foreign nationals) were staying at the Warwick Fiji, a five-star hotel near the town of Sigatoka on the coast of Fiji’s largest island, Viti Levu. I felt sick after drinking a pina colada at a bar.

They were admitted to the hospital on Saturday after complaining of nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms.

All seven people have since made a full recovery, Gaboka said. The cause of their illness is still under investigation.

Comparison with Laos

The incident follows a November incident in which six tourists, including an American and two Australian teenagers, died after drinking contaminated alcohol at a hostel in a Lao town popular with backpackers in Southeast Asia. Immediate comparisons were made to the incident in Laos.

The victims in Laos are believed to have ingested drinks contaminated with methanol. Methanol is sometimes added to mixed drinks as a cheap alternative to ethanol, but it can cause severe poisoning and death.

Australia updates travel advisory

Fiji, an archipelago nation in the South Pacific, is a popular tourist destination for Australians.

And following news of the sick tourist, Australia updated its travel advisory for Fiji, warning travelers to “be aware of the potential risk of drink spikes and methanol poisoning from consuming alcoholic beverages”.

“Don’t leave drinks unattended. Be careful when mixing drinks,” Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers said at a press conference on Monday. “If you think something is wrong, seek immediate medical attention.”