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Franklin County investigates June 29 gastrointestinal outbreak that sickened about 60 people
Summary
County public health investigators said about 60 people reported gastrointestinal symptoms after a June 29 event and are testing food and water samples; only one person sought medical attention, officials said, and investigators are examining caterer-served items, family-made charcuterie left out for hours, and on-site water.
Franklin County public health staff said they are investigating an outbreak of gastrointestinal illness tied to a June 29 gathering that prompted reports from about 60 attendees.
"We had 60 respond because they had some form of gastro distress," said Speaker 6, identified in the meeting record as a public health investigator, describing calls and reports received after the event. County staff said only one person required medical attention.
Investigators outlined three possible sources. They asked the event property owner for on-site water samples to test for contamination; they also noted that a caterer served food at the event but that same caterer had served two other events without reported illnesses. Finally, they cited multiple homemade charcuterie platters prepared by a host family that may have been left out between seven and 10 hours, which can raise food-safety risks.
Speaker 6 described the timelines of symptoms and said the pattern — some people reporting illness within one to two hours — made a purely foodborne infectious cause less likely for those very early-onset cases, though investigators said they still consider foodborne pathogens among the possible explanations pending laboratory results.
Public health staff said preserved video footage and incident reports helped document exposure conditions and that they are collecting samples and continuing interviews to narrow the cause.
The investigation remains open. Officials said they will notify attendees if testing identifies a specific pathogen and will share follow-up findings at a future Board of Health meeting.
