Seven tourists were hospitalized after drinking piña coladas at a five-star resort’s bar in Fiji, a spokesperson at the resort confirmed Monday to HuffPost.
Five people have since been discharged, and two remain hospitalized in stable condition, according to The Associated Press. Four of the seven are Australian, one is American and two are of unknown nationalities.
Fiji’s Ministry of Health and Medical Services said each of the guests — who are between the ages of 18 and 56 — experienced “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms” after drinking the cocktails at the Warwick Fiji resort, according to The Fiji Times.
In a similar incident last month, six tourists died in Laos after consuming drinks that contained methanol.
According to CNN, Fiji’s health ministry is unsure how or if the drinks were spiked as they wait on the investigation.
A Warwick resort spokesperson also told HuffPost that the incident is being investigated and that the hotel is waiting for more information.
“We are also awaiting the health authorities test result report to gather all necessary information,” a Warwick spokesperson told HuffPost in a statement. “At this moment, we do not have conclusive details, but we are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our guests. We will keep you updated as more information becomes available.”
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In a statement, the Fiji government, which did not immediately respond to HuffPost’s request for comment, aimed to assure the public that the incident was “isolated.”
“Thousands of tourists are currently visiting Fiji, and close to a million tourists visit annually, and safely,” Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka said. “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.”
HuffPost reached out to Fiji’s police department but did not immediately hear back.
