A Sydney teenager and her mother are among six tourists admitted to hospital in Fiji following a suspected mass alcohol poisoning and have been flown back to Australia.
Mum Tanya Sandow, 56, and daughter Georgia Sandow-Simpson, 19, from Sydney’s Upper North Shore, drink cocktails by the pool at the Warwick Fiji Resort in southern Fiji. , was rushed to the hospital.
The six were rushed to nearby Sigatoka Hospital complaining of nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms, but one of the victims’ friends told Daily Mail Australia that he was “foaming at the mouth” and had a seizure. Another Australian woman said her ears were bleeding.
The Australian mother and daughter, aged 49 and 18, were said to be in a serious condition at Lautoka Hospital, north of Nadi, but are now said to be “stable”.
Fiji’s Deputy Prime Minister Viliam Gaboka said initial reports that seven people were hospitalized were incorrect and that the figure had now been revised down to six.
He said four of the six people were expected to be discharged from hospital on Monday, a sign that “the situation is not as serious as we expected.”
Those discharged from hospital on Monday after receiving addiction treatment included an American and a foreign national based in Fiji.
Relieved grandmother Pamela Sandow He told Daily Mail Australia that his daughter Tanya and granddaughter Georgia were also flying home after being released.
“They have both been discharged from the hospital and are on their way home,” she said. “I’m so grateful that they seem to be doing well, it’s such a relief.
Georgia Sando Simpson, 19 (pictured) and her mother Tanya are flying home
His mother, Tanya Sandow, was on holiday at a resort in Fiji when she suddenly fell ill after drinking cocktails at the Warwick resort.
“As far as we know, they are recovering as expected and we plan to pick them up this afternoon. We will be here to care for them.”
She said other affected guests had also come to the resort for a wedding, but the family was simply there on vacation.
“They weren’t at the wedding,” she said. “They were just there to have a relaxing vacation together after a big year.
“It was just the two of us traveling together.”
Georgia’s grandfather, David Sandow, said he received a frightening phone call in the middle of the night telling him his family had been rushed to the hospital.
“It’s very difficult for me to answer the phone at 11 p.m. when my daughter and granddaughter are not home and my daughter is poisoned and is in the hospital,” he said.
“It’s your worst nightmare.”
He revealed that his granddaughter Georgia had a seizure after drinking a cocktail and that they were both sicker.
His daughter also has a chronic illness, which was also affected by the alleged addiction.
“It was an ideal vacation for mother and daughter. They enjoy each other’s company,” he told ABC News.
“We love Fiji as a family, so it was a natural place for us to go, and they had fun.”
The two Australians believed to have been poisoned in the incident are believed to be another mother and daughter, aged 49 and 18.
Three other tourists were also injured.
Georgia Sando Simpson, 19, from Sydney’s Upper North Shore, was rushed to hospital after drinking a cocktail by the pool.
The pair were discharged from hospital on Monday morning and have now returned to Australia.
Fiji’s Minister of Health Dr. Jemesa Tudravu said investigators were conducting toxicology tests but the cause had not yet been determined.
“The cause of the incident is not yet known, but our team is currently investigating,” he said.
“The toxicology is currently being investigated by the police, who will publish their own findings.
“All patients are currently hospitalized and under investigation, but as of yesterday we know that there were two patients who were in a more serious condition than the others.”
Fiji’s Tourism Minister Viliam Gaboka insisted the alleged poisoning was an isolated incident, which occurred in one bar at one resort, and was being thoroughly investigated.
“While we understand the concerns, we would like to emphasize that the tourist experience in Fiji is generally very safe,” he said.
“We took immediate action to determine what caused this resort guest to become ill.”
Gaboka said this is the only reported case in recent memory.
Gaboka also said he had spoken with the resort’s management, who are “fully cooperating with authorities.”
“Management is clearly distressed and concerned for the welfare of their guests,” he added.
They also assured investigators that they would not “substitute ingredients or change the quality of drinks served to guests.”
Warwick Fiji said it was aware of the news and was awaiting test results from health authorities to “gather all necessary information” about the incident at the hotel.
“Rest assured that we are taking this matter very seriously and are currently conducting a thorough investigation,” the newspaper told Daily Mail Australia in a statement.
“While we do not have definitive details, we remain committed to ensuring the safety and health of our customers.”
Australia has revised its travel advisory for Fiji, warning travelers to “be aware of the potential risk of drink spiking and methanol poisoning from consuming alcoholic beverages”.