7 foreigners hospitalized in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort bar

WELLINGTON, New Zealand (AP) — Seven foreigners were hospitalized in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort bar, Fijian authorities said on Monday.

The cause of their illness was not known and officials said it was too soon to know if tainted alcohol was involved.

The group at the five-star Warwick resort near the town of Sigatoka on Saturday included Australians and an American, according to local news reports. They were hospitalized with nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms, said Jemesa Tudravu, a Fiji Health Ministry spokesperson.

All seven remained in Lautoka Hospital in stable condition on Monday, Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliame R. Gavoka said in a statement.

David Sandoe, an Australian man who said his daughter and granddaughter were hospitalized, told Sky News Australia on Monday that his relatives had been cleared for discharge.

Local news outlets reported on Sunday that the cause of the foreigners’ illness was suspected alcohol poisoning, similar to a case in Laos in November in which six tourists — including two Australian teenagers — died after consuming tainted drinks.

But Tudravu said no cause had been identified in the Fiji episode. Police have ordered toxicology tests and are awaiting results, he added.

Gavoka said no other reports of similar illness were recorded at the resort or across Fiji, a South Pacific island nation of 930,000 people.

“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,” Gavoka said. The hotel, located on the picturesque Coral Coast of the largest island, Vitu Levu, has operated for many years and “holds a strong reputation,” he added.

“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,” Gavoka said.

Australia’s Foreign Ministry said in a statement that officials are providing consular assistance to two Australian families in Fiji.

The ministry did not comment on the cause of the Australians’ illness, but its website advising tourists was updated on Monday to caution travelers about “potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks.”

A spokesperson for the resort, Savaira Molaucake, said staff were “conducting a thorough investigation” of the incident and were working closely with authorities.

Charlotte Graham-mclay, The Associated Press