Fiji: Seven Hotel Guests Suffers Suspected Poisoning At Resort

Seven tourists suspected to be poisoned after drinking cocktails at a bar in an upscale 5-star Fiji resort, which is now being investigated by police.

Four Australians, along with other three people believed to be foreign nationals, were taken to the hospital after being served drinks made at a bar at the Warwick Fiji on Saturday.

The tourists, ages 18 to 56, suffered nausea, vomiting and “neurological symptoms,” according to a statement from Fiji’s Health Ministry.

By late Monday, two remained in Lautoka Hospital’s intensive care unit in a stable condition. The others had been discharged, according to Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliame R. Gavoka.

The case comes just weeks after six tourists died from methanol poisoning after drinking at a bar in Laos, in a case that prompted safety warnings about consuming alcohol abroad.

Asked whether methanol was to blame, Dr Jemesa Tudravu, permanent secretary for Fiji’s Ministry of Health & Medical Services, said it was too soon to tell.

“We don’t have the results of the investigation yet and we don’t know if it was spiking or any other cause until we complete our investigations,” he said in a briefing Monday.

Sydney resident David Sandoe told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation he’d received a call saying his daughter and granddaughter were among those hospitalized. He said they were among a group of people who drank a piña colada cocktail before falling ill.

“There was a group of them in the lounge of this resort and they had a similar cocktail and unfortunately, seven people came down with the symptoms that have been talked about,” Sandoe said.

He said his relatives were scheduled to fly home late Monday.

Australian media reports suggested one of the ill tourists was American. The US embassy in Fiji told CNN that it was aware of the reports but had nothing to add.

Isolated Occurrence

Gavoka, who is also Fiji’s tourism minister, assured travelers to the Pacific nation that the incident was “extremely isolated.”

“No other incidents have been reported either at the resort, or across Fiji. The resort has been operating in Fiji successfully for many years and holds a strong reputation, particularly among our Australian visitors,” he said in a statement Monday.

“The resort management has assured us that they have not engaged in practices such as substituting ingredients or altering the quality of drinks served to guests,” he added.

CNN/Ejiofor Ezeifeoma