Australian tourists hospitalized in Fiji with suspected alcohol poisoning

Several Australians are seriously ill in hospital in Fiji with what local authorities suspect is alcohol poisoning.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) confirmed through a spokesperson on Sunday evening that it was providing consular assistance to two Australian families in Fiji, but declined to provide further details.

Seven foreigners, including four Australians and an American, have been hospitalized after drinking cocktails at a five-star Coral Coast hotel resort, local health officials said on Sunday.

The hotel guests had been taken to hospital on Saturday evening with “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms”, Fiji’s Ministry of Health said.

They fell ill after drinking a cocktail prepared at a bar at the resort, about 60 kilometers west of the capital Suva.

A ministry spokesman said the guests, aged 18 to 56, included four Australians, one American and two foreigners living in Fiji but whose nationalities were not stated. All seven were initially taken to nearby Sigatoka Hospital.

Due to the severity of their condition, they were later transferred to the larger Lautoka hospital on the island’s west coast, the ministry said.

Fiji Police investigated.

On Sunday afternoon, Dfat updated its travel advice for Fiji with a warning about the risk of alcohol poisoning.

“Be alert to the potential risks surrounding drinking alcohol and methanol poisoning from consuming alcoholic beverages,” the updated advice said. “Get emergency medical attention if you suspect binge drinking.”

Guardian Australia understands that consular support provided to Australian families may include assisting with hospital visits and liaising with local authorities.

The suspected alcohol poisoning comes after two 19-year-old Victorian women, Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, died from methanol poisoning in November after drinking tainted alcohol while on holiday in Vang Vieng in Laos.

– Additional reporting Agence France-Presse