A toxicology report into the suspected alcohol poisonings at Fiji’s Warwick Resort that left four Australians critically ill has found no traces of methanol.
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliame Gavoka said the report found “no illicit substances or methanol”, but the government has not yet revealed the cause of the tourists’ illnesses.
The poisonings hospitalised seven people after they drank a pina colada cocktail at the resort’s poolside bar on Saturday afternoon, with some having life-threatening seizures.
Mr Gavoka also revealed the last Australian still in hospital from the incident, a 56-year-old woman from New South Wales, had been released and was returning home after four days in intensive care.
The three other Australians involved were discharged earlier this week.
The group taken to hospital were drinking at the five-star Warwick Resort. (ABC News: Bose Vavataga)
In a brief press conference, Fijian Health Secretary James Tudravu did not reveal a cause of the illnesses that left the seven people hospitalised, saying “toxicology was continuing”.
The Fiji government also did not reveal the results of the samples taken from the patients — only samples from the tainted drinks.
“We are having discussions with our health teams [and] investigations are continuing [for the] definitive causes, and then we will share these with the patients,” Dr Tudravu said.
“There are many causes of the symptoms they presented with. It could be chemical, it could be infection.
“[But] there is no evidence of illicit drugs or methanol.”
The incident over the weekend left Fiji’s tourism industry shaken.
Almost one million visitors come to the small island nation every year, including almost half a million Australians.
Speculation over the past four days has led to many believing the incident was methanol poisoning, following the tragedy in Laos that killed Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles.
Despite the speculation and worldwide coverage of the poisoning incident, Mr Gavoka said there had been “no indication” of people cancelling their trips to Fiji.
“But we have heard people in a sense of disbelief that Fiji could be spiking drinks or Fiji could be adding some harmful stuff into the cocktails served,” Mr Gavoka said.
“Fiji is a safe destination.”
A ‘normal’ beverage
In an interview with the ABC on Wednesday before the report was released, Warwick Resort human resources manager Nitin Goundar said the hotel was unaware of the severity of the guests’ illnesses until media reports started circulating.
Warwick Resort Fiji human resources manager Nitin Goundar. (ABC News)
He said the guests reported issues such as “sore throats” and “nausea” and the resort accompanied the guests to the nearby clinic.
“They said they wanted to see a doctor, so we took them to the clinic,” he said.
The guests were later transferred to Lautoka Hospital.
“We did not suspect [alcohol poisoning] at the time because it’s a normal menu beverage for all the guests.
“This is something very rare for us. We couldn’t believe it.”