Orange County investigates possible mass food poisoning among employees after emergency drill
As many as 20 people reportedly became sick after lunch at the Sept. 9 drill in Goshen. Health officials are now trying to determine what caused it.
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Orange County health officials are investigating a possible mass food poisoning incident after several county employees reportedly became sick following an emergency drill last week.
As many as 20 people reportedly became ill after lunch during the Sept. 9 drill at the Orange County Emergency Services Center in Goshen.
Dozens of people were there, including county officials, department heads and representatives from local agencies taking part in a large-scale exercise designed to test the county’s response to a major hurricane and other emergencies.
The Orange County Health Department has since sent county employees and agency representatives who were at the drill a survey asking what they ate and whether they became sick.
In an email obtained by News 12, the county said it is “currently investigating a possible foodborne outbreak associated with this event.” Health officials are asking everyone who was there to complete the survey — whether they became sick or not — to help determine if a particular food may be responsible.
Those who became ill are also being asked to provide samples for testing. The county says testing could help determine whether a virus, bacteria or toxin caused the illnesses.
The county has not yet said what may have caused the illnesses or confirmed exactly how many people became sick.
News 12 has also asked county officials whether anyone required medical treatment, which food vendor served the drill and whether the vendor has since been inspected or taken out of service.
