A young Palmerston North couple fell severely ill at Warwick Resort in Fiji days before a mass incident of alcohol poisoning that put seven people in hospital. 

Thomas, 19, and Bethany, 18, stayed at the resort from December 4 to 11, falling ill four days into the trip. 

They initially believed it was food poisoning but after hearing of the guests at the same hotel being hospitalised one week later, they suspect their sickness was related to two extremely strong cocktails they had. 

“We both believed there had to have been at least three shots in them or now obviously we think, something else,” Thomas told the Herald. 

Seven guests were taken to hospital on December 14 with “nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms” after consuming pina coladas prepared at the bar. All but two guests have since been discharged. 

Warwick Resort said it was “deeply concerned” by the news of guests falling ill. 

“As a business that has proudly traded in Fiji for almost 40 years, this is an unprecedented event for us,” they said in a statement sent to the Herald. 

The resort did not respond to Kiwis’ allegations of falling severely ill but said they took guests’ safety very seriously and maintained the “highest standards of food and beverage safety”. 

The Fiji Government has launched an investigation and tests are due back this week to determine the cause of the suspected poisoning. 

Thomas said he began to experience severe vomiting on December 8, which he thought was related to seafood eaten at dinner. 

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“From then, I had constant diarrhoea and nausea, particularly on our leaving day, the 11th, where I genuinely felt I was going to die”. The couple told Herald they considered a hospital visit but did not want to miss their flights home. 

Jackson and Bethany said two of the cocktails they had during the trip were notably strong, which led them to believe they contained more than typical alcohol. Photo / Supplied 

The couple said the sickness came as a “shock” as Bethany had visited the resort several times before with her family with no issues. 

“Bethany experienced nausea, maybe the end of alcohol poisoning, after we came back to New Zealand but not to my extent,” Thomas said. 

Assuming the symptoms were related to food, travel sickness or water contamination, the pair did not report the illness to Warwick staff. While mostly recovered, Thomas said he still has occasional symptom flare-ups but never pursued an official diagnosis from a medical practitioner. 

Alcohol, food or methanol poisoning? 

When news circulated about the alleged alcohol poisoning at Warwick Fiji, people on social media likened it to the methanol poisoning in Thailand, which killed six people, or to personal instances of severe food poisoning in Fiji. 

Disorientation, vomiting and nausea are all symptoms of alcohol poisoning, food poisoning and methanol poisoning; three illnesses that require very different treatment. 

How can a traveller tell the difference? 

Food poisoning 

Food poisoning is caused by ingesting certain bacteria or viruses via food, water or hand contact and common types include Norovirus, Salmonella, Campylobacter or E. coli. 

Symptoms can appear within hours to two days after ingestion and most often involve nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, abdominal pain, and fever. 

Alcohol poisoning 

Ethanol poisoning (or alcohol poisoning as it’s more commonly called) is caused by consuming excessive ethanol (regular alcohol), which causes a toxic level in the bloodstream. Binge drinking is a common way someone experiences alcohol poisoning. 

Symptoms usually occur quickly, within hours of consumption and include confusion, difficulty remaining conscious, vomiting, and trouble breathing. In extreme cases, people can experience seizures, brain damage and possible death. 

Methanol poisoning 

Meanwhile, methanol poisoning occurs by consuming drinks that contain methanol, which is not meant for consumption. Even 40ml for someone who weighs 80kg can be lethal. 

Initial symptoms are very similar to alcohol poisoning, which can make it difficult to identify. However, severe symptoms appear 10 to 24 hours after ingestion and include drowsiness, headache, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and, notably, blurry vision. This is then often followed by blindness, coma, and cardiac arrest if intoxication is severe. 

When to seek treatment? 

Those with methanol poisoning must seek medical treatment within 30 hours to prevent irreversible damage or death, according to the Methanol Institute (MI), a global trade association for the methanol industry. 

Due to the severity, MI recommends going to a hospital “as soon as possible” even if you suspect you may have methanol poisoning. 

Additionally, alcohol poisoning and even food poisoning can have severe health consequences if symptoms are severe.