Dozens of Kansas high school students and chaperones were being treated for symptoms of food poisoning Wednesday at a hospital in Mount Pleasant, Pa., after a band trip to New York, the hospital said.
About 160 students and chaperones made the trip on three buses to New York from De Soto High School, just across the Kansas border from Kansas City, Mo. They were returning home Wednesday morning when about 40 students, ages 13 to 18, and 10 adults fell ill.
The students and chaperones were being treated at Excela Frick Hospital in Mount Pleasant, about 50 miles southeast of Pittsburgh, NBC station WPXI of Pittsburgh reported. The Pennsylvania and New York state health departments were both investigating because the members of the caravan became ill after having eaten at an Italian restaurant in New York City on Tuesday evening.
"The common factor seems to be the chicken Parmesan," Alvie Cater, a spokesman for the De Soto School District, told the Kansas City Star.
"Roughly 25 were treated at the hospital, but more than that actually displayed symptoms," Cater said. "We're looking at up to 50 that displayed symptoms, but some of them were not severe at all."
The hospital said most of the victims were treated for severe dehydration and were expected to be back on the road later Wednesday.
NBC station WPXI of Pittsburgh contributed to this report by M. Alex Johnson of msnbc.com. Follow M. Alex Johnson on Twitter and Facebook.
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