EXCLUSIVE
Several n tourists are in a critical condition after a suspected mass alcohol poisoning in Fiji.
Authorities said that seven guests staying at the Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast allegedly fell ill after drinking cocktails at the venue bar on Saturday night.
The group were rushed to nearby Sigatoka Hospital with nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms with one victim’s friend telling Daily Mail that she was ‘foaming at the mouth’ and suffering seizures.
He claimed an n woman was seen bleeding from her ears.
All seven patients have since been transferred to Lautoka Hospital due to the severity of their conditions.
Four of the unwell guests are believed to be n with the tourists aged between 18 and 56.
Police and health inspectors are investigating the cause of the illness.
A resort guest, who requested to stay anonymous, told Daily Mail his friend allegedly suffered seizures just hours after drinking at the resort bar.
He and three friends had travelled from Suva, Fiji’s capital, for a weekend getaway.
At about midday on Saturday, the group ordered five cocktails.
‘The people who drank the piña colada became unwell,’ the guest said.
‘My friend was the worst of the lot. At 5pm we went to check on her and help her get ready for dinner.
‘She wasn’t responsive. She was having severe seizures and foaming at the mouth.’
The guest believes up to 12 hotel guests were hospitalised, including at least six foreigners.
‘All the victims were ladies. I could identify them as Warwick guests because they all had the resort armbands on,’ he said.
‘There was a young girl, possibly aged between eight and 12, who’d had a sip of her mum’s cocktail.
‘They’re both in a terrible state.’
It’s understood most of the victims were drinking from a bar by the adult-only pool.
A spokesperson from the Department of Foreign Affairs confirmed it is aware of the incident.
‘The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to two n families in Fiji,’ they said.
‘Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.’
n government website Smartraveller updated its advice for Fiji on Sunday.
‘We continue to advise exercise normal safety precautions,’ the alert stated
‘Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks.
‘Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking.’
Police officers visited the resort on Sunday, where they took samples of the alcohol which have been sent off for testing.
Resort staff were shocked to learn about the incident.
‘We are trying to get to the bottom of it right now,’ an employee told the Daily Telegraph on Sunday night.
‘We don’t have any information, right now we can’t disclose any information.’
Warwick Resort is a five-star hotel located on the island’s south coast, 92km west of Suva.
It offers all-inclusive packages for adult visitors and families.
Prices start from $300 per night in January and less than $250 outside the peak holiday season.
An n woman staying at the resort described her stay as ‘great’ but added she and her partner don’t drink often.
‘There are a few bars within the resort. The main restaurant where they have the hotel buffets for breakfast/lunch/dinner has a bar,’ she said.
‘Both the pools have bars – adult pool and main pool.
‘Then there is a ‘sunset bar’ in the main lobby entrance with a balcony facing the beach.
‘My partner and I don’t drink much. We shared one drink while being here, that was from the sunset bar and we have been fine.’
Neither of the Aussies had heard anything about the incident as of Sunday night.
Daily Mail has contacted the Warwick Resort for further comment.
The news comes just weeks after six backpackers, including two ns, were killed in a mass methanol poisoning.
Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both aged 19, were among six foreign tourists who died after falling ill while holidaying in Vang Vieng, a popular tourist town 129km north of Vientiane.
They had all been staying at Nana Backpackers Hostel, where eight staff members were arrested by police.
The best friends were evacuated to separate hospitals in Thailand on November 13.
Ms Jones died surrounded by loved ones in Udon Thani hospital before Ms Bowles died in nearby Bangkok Hospital.
British lawyer Simone White, 28, two Danish women Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Frela Vennervald Sorensen, 21, US man James Louis Hutson, 57, also died from after drinking contaminated drinks.