5-star Fijian resort speaks after suspected alcohol poisoning, four Australians in hospital

A luxury Fijian resort has spoken out after seven foreigners, including four Australians, were hospitalised from suspected alcohol poisoning.

Bosses of a luxury Fijian resort have spoken out about a suspected alcohol poisoning that has hospitalised seven foreigners, including four Australians.

The seven affected guests are aged from 18 to 56 years old and were taken to hospital on Saturday night experiencing “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms” after consuming an allegedly poisoned cocktail at the resort.

The Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast told news.com.au it was investigating the suspected alcohol poisoning alongside authorities.

“Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation,” sales and marketing manager Savaira Molaucake said.

“We are also awaiting the health authorities test result report to gather all necessary information.

“At this moment, we do not have conclusive details, but we are committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our guests.”

Ms Molaucake said she would update news.com.au as soon as she had more information.

Warwick Hotels & Resorts is a global company with more than 40 hotels across the world, including in Montreal, New York City, London, Paris, Nice, The Bahamas, Doha, Beijing and Port Vila.

The Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast is a five-star resort with 248 hotel rooms, five restaurants and six bars. The resort also hosts events, including conferences and weddings.

Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast is a five-star resort. Picture: Facebook / Warwick Fiji

ABC, which has a reporter on the ground in Fiji, reported other guests said some of the group started having fits, chills and tremors after drinking pina colada cocktails by the pool on Saturday evening. Reception had told the publication it did not have anything to disclose because of the investigation.

The Fiji Times, citing the Ministry of Health and Medical Services, said four of the sick tourists were Australians, one was American and two were other foreigners who were residing in Fiji.

The resort has 248 hotel rooms, five restaurants and six bars. Picture: Alamy

Following the incident, the Australian government’s official travel advice website, Smartraveller, updated its advice for Fiji to include a warning about methanol poisoning.

“Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks,” it said. “Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking.”

Many Australian travellers are already on high alert after two Melbourne teens died in a suspected mass methanol poisoning last month after drinking alcoholic drinks in the Southeast Asian country of Laos.

Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19, lost their lives while on the trip of a lifetime, along with British woman Simone White, 28, two Danish women Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21, and American man James Louis Hutson, 57.

Methanol is highly toxic and as little as one shot can be fatal. It is difficult to distinguish from ethanol, the alcohol found in beer, wine, and spirits, because it is colourless, odourless, and tasteless.

Drink spiking can happen anywhere but methanol poisoning is a risk in popular destinations in Asia, Latin America, the Middle East, Africa and Eastern Europe, where alcohol production is less regulated, Smartraveller warns. At this stage, the suspected poisonings in Fiji have not been linked to methanol like those in Laos.

Among the official government advice to avoid drink spiking overseas is to not leave drinks unattended, pay attention when your drinks are being mixed, be especially careful drinking cocktails and drinks made with spirits, and drink only at reputable licensed premises.

Foreigners booked to stay at the Warwick Resort have expressed their concerns about upcoming holidays on social media, with some suggesting they wouldn’t have expected to have to worry about drink spiking at a luxury resort.

Tourists who have recently or are currently staying at the resort said they had drank alcohol there without any issue.