Authorities in Fiji are grappling with the aftermath of a health scare involving seven foreign tourists who fell ill after consuming cocktails at the five-star Warwick Resort on the Coral Coast. The incident, which occurred over the weekend, raised alarms about possible alcohol poisoning, leading to toxicology tests to investigate the cause of these alarming symptoms.
On Wednesday, Fiji’s Tourism Minister, Viliame Gavoka, confirmed the good news: toxicology tests revealed no traces of illicit substances or methanol, quelling fears of mass poisonings similar to recent incidents reported elsewhere. "I can confirm no illicit substances or methanol were found in the ingredients or liquor samples," Gavoka stated during a live-streamed news conference. "The finding of no evidence of alcohol poisoning is great news for Fiji, especially for our tourism industry."
The tourists, four of whom were Australians, suffered from nausea, vomiting, and neurological symptoms after drinking pina coladas at the resort on Saturday. Hospitalized and treated at Lautoka Hospital, all the tourists have since been discharged and are recovering. According to Fiji’s Health Ministry, the symptoms were concerning but did not point directly to alcohol poisonings commonly linked with mishandled spirits.
This incident has cast shadows over Fiji's reputation as a safe travel destination, especially after similar cases of methanol poisoning took the lives of multiple tourists recently in Laos. During the press briefing, Gavoka emphasized the isolative nature of the incident: "We’d like to tell everybody it’s safe to come to Fiji. This incident has been localized to one hotel," he remarked, expressing dismay over the spread of negative press potentially fueled by competitor tourist destinations.
The regular disbursement of health advisories has prompted concerns from tour operators. Earlier in the week, Australia had issued travel updates, reminding travelers to stay vigilant about drink spiking risks. Gavoka has formally appealed to foreign governments to reconsider these advisories, particularly the mention of "spiking," asking them to focus on the safety of Fiji as both a travel option and its commitment to providing secure environments for visitors.
Fiji’s Prime Minister, Sitiveni Rabuka, also weighed in on the situation, stressing the importance of refuting misinformation about the country's hospitality. "We have to find out who is giving out this negative press about Fiji... Are they competitors for our tourism visitors?" he questioned, indicating how deeply tourism affects the local economy. The tourism sector has been hoping to rebound after pandemic disruptions, making the situation more volatile due to reputational risks.
The Warwick Resort has been cooperative throughout the investigation, stating they are taking this incident very seriously. They clarified the drinks made from locally sourced ingredients included coconut liqueur, pineapple juice, and white rum, assuring guests of their safety standards. Human resources manager Nitin Goundar indicated, "From our batch, it is not expired. We will go through the CCTV footage to fully cooperate with the investigation," hoping to alleviate fears surrounding their beverage operations.
Despite no concrete evidence about the cause of this episode, Health Ministry’s Permanent Secretary Jemesa Tudravu suggested the underlying illnesses could stem from other factors such as chemicals or infections. The continuous investigation aims to identify the exact nature of the tourists' sickness, taking all potential avenues seriously.
The affected individuals included people aged between 18 and 56, and after their ordeal, they were transported back to Australia via air ambulance, accompanied by medical personnel. One such case involved a 49-year-old mother who, after spending days under medical care, was seen boarding the air ambulance with her daughter, who had also been affected.
Tourism Minister Gavoka remains optimistic about the future of tourism and the quick responses provided to the tourists. "There is no indication of people cancelling visits to Fiji due to this incident," he affirmed, reflecting public sentiment reported among travelers who believe Fiji remains safe.
Summing up the challenges faced, he concluded, "This incident brought shockwaves through our tourism sector, but we will be transparent as we work to get to the bottom of this.” There's emphasis on the continued health vigilance and the hope of restoring confidence among visitors who choose to explore the allure of the islands.
Authorities continue to investigate the details surrounding the cocktails consumed, and any updates from the toxicology reports are expected to be shared with the affected parties first before public disclosure. This incident serves as evidence of how quickly perceptions can change concerning travel safety, highlighting the interconnectedness of public health and the tourism industry.
