Forty-six people were hospitalized in a "foodborne illness outbreak" this week after they shared a dish at their workplace in Maryland, officials said.
Howard County Fire & Rescue said it responded at 3:45 p.m. Monday to the 7700 block of Chesapeake Bay Court in Jessup, about 15 miles southwest of Baltimore, on a report of multiple patients with food poisoning “after allegedly eating the same food.”
The 46, all adults, were evaluated and taken to different area hospitals. All were noncritical, the department said.
The workers reportedly became ill roughly an hour after eating a noodle dish, according to NBC affiliate WBAL of Baltimore.
The Howard County Health Department said it was working with the Maryland Department of Health to investigate the exact cause of the incident but said it was not believed to have been intentional.
“Preliminary indications are that the illness was related to outside food prepared by an employee and shared with others at the facility,” the department said.
The department is now talking to the affected to learn “more specific details about the food in question.”
“At this time, we are not aware of any further illness connected to this incident and believe there is little risk to the larger community,” the department said.
All 46 who were hospitalized have been released.
The Maryland Health Department reiterated on X it was “not currently aware of any risk of further illnesses connected to this incident.”
The incident unfolded at NAFCO Wholesale Seafood Distributors, WBAL reported. Stanley Pearlman Enterprises, the parent company of NAFCO, told the outlet that the food that caused the illness did not come from the facility.
“NAFCO operates under the highest health and safety standards in the industry. Our headquarters and facilities are regularly inspected and monitored by the relevant health authorities to ensure compliance with all health and safety regulations,” the company said.
