Minister for Tourism, Viliame Gavoka reassures both local and international visitors to Fiji that the serious health incident that occurred at a resort on the Coral Coast, where 7 guests presented with illness after consuming a cocktail at one of the resort’s bars, is a very isolated incident.
Gavoka also reassures people that the condition of the 7 guests this morning was stable, and they hope their condition continues to improve.
He says as of now, all seven guests have been transferred to Aspen Lautoka Hospital for further medical care, investigation, and management.
The health team has conducted initial investigations, and so far, no further cases have been reported.
They are continuing to investigate the cause of this incident, and further testing and research are underway, with the full support of the Ministry of Health and Police.
Gavoka says this is an extremely isolated incident, affecting only these seven guests at a specific bar within the resort.
He says no other incidents have been reported either at the resort, or across Fiji.
Gavoka says the resort has been operating in Fiji successfully for many years and holds a strong reputation, particularly among the Australian visitors.
The management is concerned for the welfare of their guests, and is fully cooperating with authorities. They do not wish to speculate about the cause at this stage, as they are awaiting the results of ongoing investigations and laboratory tests.
Gavoka says the resort management has assured them that they have not engaged in practices such as substituting ingredients or altering the quality of drinks served to guests.
The incident occurred at only one bar, and it involved seven tourists, ranging in age from young to older, who fell ill.
Gavoka says the resort management shares their concerns and is fully cooperating with the Ministry of Health and other authorities to identify what happened and to ensure the safety of all future guests.
He says thousands of tourists are currently visiting Fiji, and close to a million tourists visit annually, and safely.
He says this is the only reported case of its kind that they have experienced in recent memory, and certainly nothing like this has been experienced this year.
Gavoka says while they understand the concern, they want to emphasise that the tourism experience in Fiji is typically very safe, and they have acted immediately to try and discover the cause of what made these guests, at this resort, fall ill.
He says their thoughts are with the affected guests and their families during this time, and they are ensuring that they receive the best medical care possible.
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