Lautoko, Fiji.
Photo: RNZ/Sally Round
All but two of the seven people who became seriously ill in Fiji after drinking cocktails are expected to be discharged from hospital by the end of Monday, as testing goes on to find out what caused them to become ill.
The seven had been drinking pina coladas at five star Warwick Resort on Sunday when they fell ill, with nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms. Early on Monday, two were in critical condition, and four were transferred to another hospital due to the seriousness of their conditions.
The seven included an American, two foreign residents of Fiji and four Australians.
A friend of one of those who fell sick told Checkpoint that by Monday afternoon, they were still too ill to get up.
But Fiji’s tourism minister and deputy prime minister Bill Gavoka told Checkpoint that three of the seven have been discharged from hospital.
“The latest report, from the hospital in Lautoka, is that only two will be left from this evening, the others will have been discharged,” Gavoka said.
“Their condition – the two [remaining], are stable.” The remaining two patients were no longer in intensive care.
One of seven people who were hospitalised in Fiji after drinking cocktails at a resort has reportedly returned home to Australia.
Meanwhile, the Fijian government is desperately trying to protect its reputation as a tourism destination, and assuring international visitors to the islands that this was an isolated incident
Gavoka said he understands the drinks were made from a local premix, and served to many people at the resort’s bar that night, with no others becoming ill.
“On that particular day – there is five bars [at the resort], and in one of these bars there was quite a lot of people and pina colada was being served to many people. But tor some reason only these seven got affected, and that is mystifying,” he said.
Toxicology tests are being carried out by police, and expected back any day.
The tests would “determine exactly what was in that drink that affected these seven, and not the others,” Gavoka said.
The bartender was experienced, and no extra ingredients had been added, he said.
“It’s local rum – we make our own rum here – and coconut cream.”
The resort was fully co-operating with the investigation.
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