Seven tourists in Fiji hospital with suspected alcohol poisoning

Seven tourists in Fiji have been sent to hospital with suspected alcohol poisoning and are reported to be in a critical condition.

It is believed they drank cocktails at a resort bar on Saturday night local time and shortly afterwards, displayed nausea, vomiting and neurological symptoms.

Four of the seven are Australian, with ages ranging from 18 to 56, according to local media reports citing the health ministry.

The incident comes weeks after the deaths of six tourists in the South East Asian nation of Laos because of suspected methanol poisoning.

The tourists in Fiji, who were reportedly staying at a resort on the Coral Coast, were initially taken to Sigatoka Hospital.

They were all later transferred to Lautoka Hospital, according to the Fiji Times.

Two Australian families in Fiji are receiving consular assistance, an Australian foreign ministry spokesperson told the BBC.