A group of tourists in Fiji have been rushed to hospital in a critical condition after a suspected alcohol poisoning.
Seven guests became ill with ‘nausea, vomiting, and neurological symptoms’ on Saturday night after drinking cocktails at the Warwick Resort on Fiji’s Coral Coast, local media reports have said.
The tourists, between the ages of 18 to 56, were all taken to nearby Sigatoka Hospital.
Two of the group are believed to be in a severe condition after later being taken to Lautoka Hospital, over an hour away.
It is understood four of the seven critical ill tourists are Australian. It is not yet clear what was in the cocktails that made them unwell.
The Australian Government has now updated its travel advice for Fiji, warning of the risks around alcoholic drink spiking and methanol poisoning on the Pacific island.
‘Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking,’ the new travel guidance added.
Fijian health inspectors are working to identify other guests who consumed the same drink.
The country’s Ministry of Health & Medical Services also warned members of the public to be ‘cautious and ensure that the drinks and food they consume during this festive season are safe for consumption.’
The suspected alcohol poisoning incident comes after the death of six tourists in Vang Vieng in Laos, including a 28-year-old British Simone White.
Methanol is mostly used to make solvents, pesticides, paint thinners, and alternative fuels.
It is very similar to ethanol – the pure form of alcohol in alcoholic drinks.
But unlike ethanol it has a different chemical structure that makes it toxic for humans if they consume it.
Initial adverse health effects include drowsiness, a reduced level of consciousness, confusion, headache, dizziness, and the inability to coordinate muscle movement (ataxia).
Counterfeit alcohol also poisoned 17 people to death in Istanbul, and left dozens more in a critical condition in hospital.
Police conducted operations in several districts throughout the country to crackdown on the unsafe imitation alcohol.
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