Australian tourists have been warned their drinks could be spiked no matter where they stay after a five-star resort in Fiji and a dingy hostel in Laos were the center of mass poisonings in two separate incidents.
Four Australians aged between 18 and 56 were among seven guests who were rushed to hospital on Saturday after drinking at Warwick Fiji on the Coral Coast resort island.
One victim’s friend told Daily Mail Australia she was “frothing at the mouth” and suffering convulsions while another was bleeding from her ears.
As of Monday, all guests had improved to stable condition.
The incident comes after six tourists, including two Australians, died after drinking methanol-laced drinks at a two-star hostel in Laos in November.
While Fijian authorities are yet to determine whether the latest incident is due to methanol poisoning, they have renewed calls for Australians to be careful when drinking abroad.
Dean Long, chief executive of the Australian Travel Industry Association (ATIA), told Daily Mail Australia that methanol poisonings were rare but could occur anywhere in the world.
‘These events happen. “They happen in Australia, they happen all over the world, so they’re not destination specific,” he said.
Australian travelers have been urged to follow safe drinking practices abroad after two suspected incidents of methanol poisoning in recent weeks.
Six people, four of them Australian, were hospitalized after drinking cocktails poolside at the Warwick Fiji resort (pictured) in the south of the main island of Fiji on Saturday night.
More than 400,000 Australians traveled to Fiji last year, a holiday spot considered a “safe destination” for tourists.
“In this situation, these people have done everything right,” Long said.
‘They had a drink in a beautiful place. Hopefully that’s the safest place you can be.
Among those affected by the suspected alcohol poisoning were Tanya Sandoe, 56, and her daughter Georgia Sandoe-Simpson, 19, from Sydney’s Upper North Shore.
Georgia had suffered a seizure after drinking the cocktail and was the sicker of the couple.
Relieved grandmother Pamela Sandoe told Daily Mail Australia they have both been discharged from hospital and are now flying back home.
Long said people might substitute alcohol for methanol because it was cheaper or because they were looking to “do harm.”
He added that those responsible “must be locked up” and that he had every confidence that the Fijian government would investigate the matter thoroughly.
Georgia Sandoe-Simpson, 19, (pictured) suffered a seizure due to the suspected poisoning.
Georgia’s mother Tanya (left) was also hospitalized but the couple are now flying home after being cleared to travel on Monday.
“We know that the Fijian government will throw the blame at these people and lock them up because the tourism industry is so important to that community,” Mr Long said.
Earlier this month, police arrested the owner of the factory identified as the suspected source of methanol poisoning in Laos.
The manufacturing plant is located on the outskirts of the capital city, Vientiane, and is understood to have made local Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whiskey.
The recent round of arrests now means 12 people have been detained for their alleged connection to poisonous alcohol.
Long urged Australians to follow safe drinking practices no matter where they are overseas and how good the quality of the place is.
Their tips include “keeping an eye on the drink when it’s being made” to make sure the bottles aren’t contaminated or ordering a new bottle of liquor.
“But premixed drinks that are sealed in a secure container are probably preferable when traveling,” Mr. Long said.
“If you want to drink some spirits, maybe buy them in Australia, take them overseas and consume them safely there, and then have those safe, pre-mixed drinks when you’re travelling.”
Long said a number of Australians have also resorted to traveling with kits capable of testing for methanol to stay safe.