Seven individuals, together with one American citizen, had been hospitalized over the weekend for suspected poisoning after ingesting cocktails at a resort resort bar in Fiji, well being officers mentioned Monday.
The Fiji Ministry of Health and Medical Services reported Sunday that the seven individuals who had been hospitalized included 4 Australian residents, one American citizen and two different international nationals who had been residing in Fiji, based on native media stories citing the Ministry of Health. As of Monday night, Tourism Minister Viliame Gavoka mentioned that two individuals remained hospitalized in secure situation.
Officials additionally mentioned Monday the incident stays below investigation.
Poisoning suspected after ingesting pina coladas
All these hospitalized had been reportedly ingesting at a bar on the upscale Warwick Fiji resort close to the city of Sigatoka on Saturday night.
In a quick press convention that was streamed on Facebook on Dec. 16, Gavoka mentioned that they’d been ingesting pina colada cocktails.
All seven victims, who ranged in age from 18 to 56, had been taken to Aspen Lautoka Hospital, the place two individuals remained as of Dec. 16. Fijian well being officers mentioned that no different instances had been reported.
Fijian well being and regulation enforcement officers are persevering with to analyze and didn’t say for sure whether or not the sicknesses had been attributable to tainted alcohol. The incident comes a month after six vacationers died from methanol poisoning after ingesting at a bar in Laos.
More:American amongst 5 vacationers useless amid issues over alcohol tainted with methanol in Laos
Gavoka described the latest poisoning as an “extraordinarily remoted incident,” and mentioned, “resort administration has assured us that they haven’t engaged in practices akin to substituting components or altering the standard of drinks served to company.”
“This is the one reported case of its form that we’ve skilled in latest reminiscence, and positively nothing like this has been skilled this yr,” Gavoka added.
Max Hauptman is a Trending Reporter for USA TODAY. He could be reached at MHauptman@gannett.com.
