After consuming cocktails at a bar in a posh Fiji resort, seven visitors are receiving treatment for possible poisoning, and police are currently looking into the incident.
After being handed beverages prepared at a bar at the Warwick Fiji on Saturday, four Australians, ages 18 to 56, and three more individuals who were thought to be foreign nationals were sent to the hospital.
According to a statement from Fiji’s Health Ministry, the tourists experienced nausea, vomiting, and “neurological symptoms.” As of Monday, their health was stable.
The case follows safety cautions about drinking alcohol overseas after six tourists died from methanol poisoning after drinking at a bar in Laos a few weeks prior.
Dr. Jemesa Tudravu, permanent secretary for Fiji‘s Ministry of Health & Medical Services, responded that it was too soon to say whether methanol was the cause.
“Until we finish our investigations, we don’t know if it was spiking or any other cause,” he stated during a conference on Monday. “We don’t have the investigation results yet.”
David Sandoe, a resident of Sydney, told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he had been contacted to inform them that his daughter and granddaughter were among the people admitted to the hospital. They were among others who drank a piña colada cocktail before getting sick, he claimed.
In the resort’s lounge, a group of them shared a similar cocktail, and regrettably, seven of them experienced the symptoms that have been discussed, Sandoe added.
According to him, his family members were expected to return home late Monday.
According to accounts in the Australian media, one of the sick tourists was American. Although it was aware of the accusations, the US embassy in Fiji told CNN it had nothing further to say.
Travelers visiting the Pacific island were reassured by Viliame R. Gavoka, the deputy prime minister of Fiji, that the incidence was “extremely isolated.”
“There have been no other reports of mishaps at the resort or in Fiji. The resort has a solid reputation, especially among our Australian guests, and has been running effectively in Fiji for many years,” he said in a statement on Monday.
He continued, “The resort management has guaranteed us that they have not engaged in practices like changing the quality of drinks served to guests or substituting ingredients.”
Luxury lodging is offered by Warwick Hotels and Resorts all over the world, especially in the US, Europe, and the Middle East.
A night in a king suite in Fiji that overlooks the Pacific Ocean and palm trees costs about $500.
Warwick Fiji said in a statement that it was treating the situation “very seriously.”
“We are dedicated to ensuring the safety and well-being of our guests, even though we do not currently have definitive details,” the hotel stated.
According to Australian Treasurer Jim Chalmers, department personnel were providing assistance to four Australians.
He described the situation as “very concerning” and cited the Department of Foreign Affairs’ most recent travel advisory, which cautions against drink spiking and alcohol poisoning in Fiji.
“Don’t leave your drinks unattended. Pay attention when your drinks are being mixed and get urgent medical help if you suspect that something is wrong,” he said.
Gavoka, who is also Fiji’s tourism minister, said close to a million tourists visit the island every year and thousands of tourists were currently holidaying on the Pacific Island.
“This is the only reported case of its kind that we’ve experienced in recent memory, and certainly nothing like this has been experienced this year,” he said.
“While we understand the concern, we want to emphasize that the tourism experience in Fiji is typically very safe, and we have acted immediately to try and discover the cause of what made these guests, at this resort, fall ill.”
In November, the deaths of two Australian teenagers, a British woman, an American man and two Danish women after drinking shots in Laos prompted warnings from several Western nations about the potentially fatal consequences of drinking tainted alcohol.