Seven foreigners have been taken to hospital in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort bar, authorities said on Monday.
The incident occurred at the five-star Warwick resort, near the town of Sigatoka on Saturday.
Five are tourists, one is from the US and the others are from Australia, aged between 18 – 56. Two others are foreigners residing in Fiji, local news reports confirm.
The cause of their illness was not known, and officials said it was too soon to know if tainted alcohol was involved.
They were taken to hospital with nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms, said Jemesa Tudravu, a Fiji Health Ministry spokesperson.
Two people remained in the hospital, conscious and in stable condition, Fiji's Tourism Minister Viliame R Gavoka told reporters on Monday. One person was discharged on Sunday and four others on Monday.
Mr Gavoka said the victims had been drinking pina coladas at one of the resort’s five bars.
“In the same bar, there were many pina coladas served that evening. And with this resort, there are five bars altogether … so in the other four bars, pina colada was also served. No ill effects,” he said.
He said authorities do not believe the incident was a result of deliberate action.
David Sandoe, an Australian man who said his daughter, Tanya, 49, and granddaughter Georgia, 19, were hospitalised, told Sky News Australia on Monday 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 a British woman and two Australian teenagers - died after consuming tainted drinks.
Mr Tudravu said no cause had been identified in the Fiji episode, adding police have ordered toxicology tests and are awaiting results.
Mr Gavoka said no other reports of similar illness were recorded at the resort or across Fiji.
"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 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," he said.
Australia's Foreign Ministry said 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 travellers 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.
