Four Australians are seriously ill in hospital in Fiji with what local authorities suspect is alcohol poisoning.
The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (Dfat) confirmed through a spokesperson on Sunday evening that it was providing consular assistance to two Australian families in Fiji but declined to provide further details.
Seven foreigners including four Australians and an American were hospitalised after drinking cocktails at Warwick Fiji, a five-star Coral Coast hotel resort, local health officials said on Sunday.
The hotel guests had been taken to hospital on Saturday night suffering “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms”, Fiji’s health ministry said.
They fell ill after drinking a cocktail prepared at a bar in the resort about 60km west of the capital, Suva.
A ministry spokesperson said the guests, aged from 18 to 56, included four Australians, one American and two foreigners who lived in Fiji but whose nationalities were not given. All seven were initially taken to the nearby Sigatoka hospital.
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Due to the severity of their conditions, they were later transferred to the larger Lautoka hospital on the island’s west coast, the ministry said.
Fiji police were investigating.
Warwick Fiji confirmed that it was aware that four of its guests were in hospital and said it was awaiting test results.
“Please rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation.
“We do not have conclusive details but we are committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of our guests.”
On Monday the Labor minister Jason Clare described the “horrific” apparent alcohol poisoning as “a real terrifying sense of deja vu” after the death of two Australian teenagers in Laos.
“I guess my message for Australians travelling overseas is just be really, really careful with whatever you consume, whatever you’re drinking when you’re overseas, and please go to the Smart Traveller website to get all the information that you need.”
On Sunday afternoon Dfat updated its travel advice for Fiji to highlight a warning about the risk of alcohol poisoning.
“Be alert to the potential risks around drink spiking and methanol poisoning through consuming alcoholic drinks,” the updated advice stated. “Get urgent medical help if you suspect drink spiking.”
Guardian Australia understands that the consular support being offered to the Australian families may involve assisting with hospital visits and liaising with local authorities.
The suspected alcohol poisoning comes after two 19-year-old Victorian women, Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, died from methanol poisoning in November after drinking tainted alcohol while holidaying in Vang Vieng in Laos.
– Additional reporting Agence France-Presse