Inside the five star Warwick resort in Fiji where the drinks are STILL flowing but cocktails are now OFF the menu after mass alcohol poisoning

Tourists staying at a five-star resort in Fiji at the center of a mass poisoning have been told cocktails are not on the menu. Authorities are investigating which ingredient in the bar’s pina coladas caused six patrons to become violently ill.

Four Australians, a Fijian and an American were rushed to hospital on Saturday after drinking in Warwick Fiji on the holiday island’s Coral Coast, with symptoms including nausea and vomiting.

Five of the victims have now been discharged, including a mother and daughter from Sydney who returned home on Monday evening.

A second Australian mother and daughter are in a stable condition at Lautoka Hospital.

Fijian police have seized CCTV footage from the bar and toxicology tests are underway to determine how the tourists mysteriously became ill despite other patrons drinking the same cocktail without developing any symptoms.

As investigations continue, tourists have told Daily Mail Australia that guests at the hotel have been informed that cocktails are not currently available.

However, numerous spirits including vodkas, gins, whiskeys and rum are still available for purchase and remain a popular choice for guests.

“We checked in on Monday and were told by staff that there were no cocktails being served at the moment, but when we went to the bar later there were still tons of spirits available,” said one guest, who wished to remain anonymous. .

‘It was confusing that cocktails weren’t possible, but spirits – including shots – were still an option.’

The guest said the atmosphere at the resort was lively, but it seemed quieter than you would expect at this time of year, days after Christmas.

“There are still people here: families with children, couples and groups of young people traveling with their friends,” the guest said.

‘No one seems very deterred by what has happened. Everyone still seems to be drinking, engaging with the live performances and having a good time. The hotel staff are very nice and friendly and the resort has a very nice atmosphere.

“But I thought the resort would be full this time of year, and it seems quite quiet.”

Tourism Fiji CEO Brent Hill told Daily Mail Australia on Monday the government body was “devastated” for those affected by the incident.

He said authorities do not know how the guests became ill because the drink has been made for years without any problems using the same method and ingredients, including ice, coconut milk and a premix.

Mr Hill said all staff – including the bartender who has worked at the venue for 16 years – were all saddened by what had happened, and authorities were determined to find out what happened.

He stressed that tourists should rest assured that Saturday’s events were a “very isolated incident” for the resort, which has been in operation for 40 years.

The results of the toxicology tests are expected to be released in the coming days.

Among those affected by the suspected alcohol poisoning were Tanya Sandoe, 56, and her daughter Georgia Sandoe-Simpson, 19, from Sydney’s northern coast.

Georgia had a seizure after drinking the cocktail and was the sickest of the couple.

Ms Sandoe and her daughter appeared happy to be back on home soil as they wheeled their own luggage out of Sydney Airport shortly after 7pm on Monday evening.

The mother and daughter beamed as they were reunited with Ms Sandoe’s parents, David and Pamela, and another male relative at a side exit, escorted by Australian Federal Police officers and out of view of most waiting media.

Mrs Sandoe-Simpson was the first to hug and kiss her grandfather before he turned his attention to his daughter.

The incident in Fiji comes after six tourists, including two Australians, were killed after drinking drinks laced with methanol at a two-star hostel in Laos in November.

While Fijian authorities have yet to determine whether the latest incident is due to methanol poisoning, the country has again urged Australians to exercise caution when drinking abroad.

Dean Long, CEO of the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), told Daily Mail Australia that methanol poisonings are rare but can happen anywhere in the world.

‘These events do indeed happen. They happen in Australia, they happen all over the world so they are not destination specific,” he said.

More than 400,000 Aussies traveled to Fiji last year – a holiday hotspot considered a ‘safe destination’ for tourists.

“In this situation, these people did everything right,” Mr. Long said.

‘They had a drink at a beautiful location. You would expect this to be the safest place you could be.”

Mr Long said individuals could replace methanol with alcohol because it was cheaper or because they wanted to “cause harm”.

He added that those responsible “must be locked up” and had full confidence in the Fijian government to thoroughly investigate the matter.

“We know the Fijian government is going to throw the book at these people and lock them up because the tourism industry is so important to that community,” Mr Long said.

Earlier this month, police arrested the owner of the factory identified as the suspected source of methanol poisoning in Laos.

The factory is located outside the capital Vientiane and is said to have made the local Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whiskey.

The recent round of arrests now means that twelve people have been arrested for their alleged connection with the toxic alcohol.

Mr Long urged Aussies to follow safe drinking practices no matter where they are abroad and how good the quality of the location is.

His tips include “keeping an eye out when it’s being made” to make sure the bottles aren’t contaminated, or asking for a fresh bottle of spirits.

“But pre-mixed drinks sealed in a secure container are likely to be preferred when traveling,” Mr Long said.

“If you want some spirits, maybe buy them in Australia and take them abroad and consume them safely there, then drink those pre-mixed, secure drinks when you go into town.”