Australians experienced 'neurological symptoms' at Fiji resort
Two Australian women hospitalised after consuming cocktails at a five-star hotel in Fiji are stable and set to fly home, as the Pacific island nation's government insists the incident was "extremely isolated".
Four Australian women, aged between 18 and 56, were among seven people sent to hospital after drinking at a bar at the Warwick Resort on Fiji's Coral Coast on Saturday.
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The group taken to hospital were drinking at the five-star Warwick Resort. (ABC News: Bose Vavataga)
David Sandoe said his daughter Tanya and granddaughter Georgia had been accompanied by Australian consular staff to the airport in Fiji and were due to arrive into Sydney this evening.
He told the ABC the pair were now doing "very well" given the circumstances.
"It's very difficult to take a call at 11 o'clock at night and your daughter and granddaughter are away — and your daughter says that they have been poisoned and they're in hospital," Mr Sandoe said.
"It is your worst nightmare."
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David Sandoe says his daughter and granddaughter are coming home after falling ill in Fiji. (ABC News: Adam Griffiths)
Mr Sandoe said his relatives had "banded together" with another affected mother and daughter pair from Australia who had consumed a "similar cocktail".
Speaking earlier on Monday, Jemesa Tudravu from the Fiji Ministry of Health said the patients had suffered nausea, vomiting and "neurological symptoms".
"We don't have the cause of the incident yet, but our team is currently investigating," he said, adding that separate toxicology tests were being undertaken by the Fiji Police Force.
A statement from the Fijian government said all seven guests had been transferred to the Lautoka Hospital for "medical care, investigation, and management".
"We are glad to hear that they are stable and hope their conditions continue to improve," said a statement from Fiji's deputy prime minister and Minister for Tourism, Viliame Gavoka.
"This is an extremely isolated incident, affecting only these seven guests at a specific bar within the resort," he said.
"No other incidents have been reported either at the resort, or across Fiji."
The ABC was told that some of the guests started having fits, chills and tremors after drinking pina coladas at the Warwick Resort.
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The Lautoka Hospital is treating people who authorities say experienced vomiting and "neurological symptoms" after drinking cocktails. (ABC News)
Australian travel advice for Fiji updated
The Australian government overnight updated its travel warning for Fiji, warning travellers to look for the potential risks of "drink spiking and methanol poisoning" when consuming alcoholic beverages.
How can I protect myself from methanol poisoning?
Photo shows People holding up alcoholic cocktailshttps://live-production.wcms.abc-cdn...862&height=485
Methanol is odourless, colourless, and can be fatal even in small amounts. Here's how methanol poisoning occurs, and some steps you can take to protect yourself while travelling.
Carmel Marasco, a guest at the resort from Melbourne, told the ABC she was "quite upset" about the incident.
"I've been to the Warwick four times, I think, with my children and family, and it has never happened before," she said.
"I was sitting there the same day, drinking the same cocktail."
Federal minister Jason Clare told ABC News Breakfast on Monday morning that the incident in Fiji was "terrifying news".
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A bar at the Warwick Resort in Fiji. (ABC News: Bose Vavataga)
"There's a real terrifying sense of deja vu, it's only a month ago two young Australian women died in Laos from methanol poisoning," Mr Clare said, referring to the deaths of Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles last month.
"When we wake up to hear this horrific news in Fiji, I'm sure all Australians have their heart in mouth and are hoping for the best."
A Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade spokesperson said consular assistance was being provided to two Australian families in Fiji.
Three other people, understood to be two US nationals and a Fijian, also fell ill after drinking at the bar on Saturday night and were being monitored.
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The Warwick Resort told the ABC it was still operational after the hospitalisation of its guests. (Facebook: Warwick Fiji)
Mr Gavoka, Fiji's deputy prime minister, said that being a tourist in the country was "typically very safe" and that the government sought to reassure international tourists that it was a "very isolated incident".
"As we approach the festive season, we always advise everyone to exercise the usual caution about what they consume," he said.
Earlier, the Warwick Resort told the ABC it was still operational after the hospitalisation of its guests.
"We don't have anything to disclose because the resort is under investigation," the resort's reception said
Australians experienced '''neurological symptoms''' at Fiji resort, health authorities say - ABC News
Details of Fiji alcohol poisoning at luxury Warwick Resort revealed
The father and grandfather of two Australian women hospitalised after a suspected alcohol poisoning at a five-star resort in Fiji has revealed a pina colada by the pool was what started their ordeal.
Seven guests aged from 18 to 56 years old, including four Australians, were taken to hospital on Saturday night experiencing “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms” after consuming allegedly poisoned cocktails at the Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast.
David Sandoe told Sky News while the toxicology report was yet to be seen to determine what exactly made them so sick, his daughter and granddaughter had been medically cleared to travel on Monday morning – meaning they could return home to Australia.
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Georgia Sandoe-Simpson, 19, was taken to hospital after she consumed an allegedly contimated cocktail at the Warwick Resort in Fiji.
It is a huge relief for the family after their holiday turned to horror.
Mr Sandoe said his granddaughter, Georgia, 19, had suffered a “brief seizure,” while he had additional fears for his daughter, Tanya, 49, due to a pre-existing blood disease.
“When you receive a phone call at, well it was 11 o’clock the other night, and your daughter says her daughter and herself have been poisoned and they were in hospital, it’s quite something else,” he said.
He said he thought back to the suspected mass methanol poisoning in Southeast Asia last month, which “sends shivers down your spine”.
Pamela Sandoe confirmed that her daughter and granddaughter had been to Fiji “many times” in the past.
Ms Sandoe told NewsWire from her home in Sydney that “she didn’t think they would need further treatment, but is going to keep an eye on that upon their return”.
Ms Sandoe said that herself and husband David Sandoe had been “overwhelmed with media requests” regarding the care of Georgia and Tanya.
Two Melbourne teens – Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both 19 – died after drinking contaminated alcoholic drinks in Laos.
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David Sandoe's daughter and granddaughter were among those hospitalised.
The condition of the remaining five guests who were hospitalised in Fiji on Saturday is unknown. The two other Australian women affected were aged 46 and just 18.
Fiji government not ruling out methanol
The Fijian government is not ruling out methanol poisoning as the cause of seven tourists being hospitalised over the weekend after drinking at the same resort bar, NCA Newswire reports.
Fijian Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka told reporters on Monday the chance of methanol poisoning was “extreme”, but authorities wanted toxicology reports before it could be ruled out.
“We would like to wait for the results of the tests, but that would be really ‘in the extreme’. It’s something that we don’t believe is possible in Fiji.”
A group of seven tourists, including four Australians, one American and two other tourists of unknown nationality, fell ill over the weekend after drinking at a five-star resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast.
The Fijian hospitality industry was in “shock” at this incident, Mr Gavoka said, and authorities were conscious of a recent methanol poisoning incident in southeast Asia.
“We never believe this would happen. Of course, there was a case somewhere else, not long ago, and there is fear that it would be similar,” he said.
In November, six people died and at least six more were hospitalised after drinking methanol-tainted alcohol in Laos. Australian teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles lost their lives.
‘Terrifying deja vu’: Laos poisoning brings fear
Federal minister Jason Clare described the situation today as feeling like “deja vu”.
“My message for Australians travelling overseas is just be really, really careful with whatever you consume,” he said on ABC News Breakfast.
“There’s a real terrifying sense of deja vu. It’s only a month ago two young Australian women died in Laos from methanol poisoning. And then when we wake up to hear this horrific news in Fiji, I’m sure all Australians have their heart in mouth and are hoping for the best.”
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In addition to Ms Jones and Ms Bowles, who lost their lives while on the trip of a lifetime, at least four others died last month; 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.
That poisoning is thought to have happened during a free shots event at a backpacker hostel, not a seemingly-safe five-star resort like the incident in Fiji.
At this stage, the suspected poisonings in Fiji have not been linked to methanol like those in Laos.
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Melbourne teen Holly Morton-Bowles died last month from methanol poisoning in Laos.
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Her friend Bianca Jones also died. Their tragic deaths have brought awareness to the dangers of methanol poisoning overseas.
Fiji’s government assures incident was ‘extremely isolated’
Fiji Police and the Ministry of Health and Medical Services are investigating.
Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka said it was an “extremely isolated incident” with no other incidents reported elsewhere at the resort or in Fiji.
“We do not wish to speculate about the cause at this stage, as we are awaiting the results of ongoing investigations and laboratory tests,” he said in a statement.
He said Warwick Resort denied their drinks are tampered with and that they were co-operating with authorities.
“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.
Warwick Resort told news.com.au it was aware of the suspected alcohol poisoning and while it did not have further details, it vowed to provide updates when available.
“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.”
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Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast is a five-star resort. Picture: Facebook / Warwick Fiji
Australians urged not to cancel holidays
Australian Travel Industry Association CEO Dean Long told news.com.au that Fiji was a “very, very safe destination” and Australians could be assured the Fijian government would “throw every resource at this,” given tourism was of such critical importance to the country.
Almost 406,000 Australians travelled to Fiji in the 12 months to October.
Mr Long urged people not to cancel any trips there as it would hurt the local Fijian population that want to welcome Aussie families over summer.
“If people are very nervous about it, they can change the way they consume alcohol,” he said, suggesting it is best to drink pre-mixed sealed drinks that you can open yourself.
He said if concerned travellers want spirits, they can always take advantage of duty free shopping and buy their own to have in their room.
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The Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast has 248 hotel rooms. Picture: Alamy
‘How can this happen?’: 5-star detail scares travellers
Following the incident, the Australian government’s official travel advice website, Smartraveller, updated its advice for Fiji.
“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.”
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 – such as five-star hotels.
Now, 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.
“They say on the travel advice site to only drink from a reputable venue. I would of thought the Warwick was being a 5 star resort,” wrote one person who is due to stay there for the second time in a few weeks.
“How can this happen at a 5 star resort?” another guest who is due to return this summer asked.
“I wouldn’t of thought it would happen at a 5 star resort, which the Warwick is supposed to be,” penned someone else.
Foreigners who have recently or are currently staying at the resort said they had drank alcohol there without any issue.
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.
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 publication initially reported the group were taken to nearby Sigatoka Hospital with two patients transferred to Lautoka Hospital due to the severity of their condition, as per the Ministry.
A later updated said all seven patients had been transferred to the Lautoka Hospital.
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.
The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade said it was helping two families.
“The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is providing consular assistance to two Australian families in Fiji,” DFAT said in a statement.
“Owing to our privacy obligations we are unable to provide further comment.”
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The luxury resort has five restaurants and six bars. The Wicked Walu seafood restaurant is on its own island. Picture: Alamy
Inside the five-star resort
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.
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The Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast is a five-star resort with two swimming pools with pool bars, a spa, gym, tennis courts and squash courts, five restaurants, and kids club. The resort hosts events, including conferences and weddings.
There are 248 hotel rooms. Guests can book standard garden view and ocean view rooms, which can accommodate two adults and two children under 12 years old, or adults-only deluxe rooms.
There are ten luxury suites, where up to two adults and two children under 12 can stay with a separate bedroom and lounge room, and private balcony.
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