A mass food poisoning outbreak at a seafood distributor left 46 sufferers hospitalized after they all ate the same dish, according to reports.
The incident is said to have struck down dozens of people at the North Atlantic Fish Company (NAFCO) Wholesale Seafood Distributors in Jessup, Maryland, on Monday. Paramedics from the Howard County Department of Fire and Rescue Services raced to the scene after scores of people fell ill simultaneously at the industrial site at around 3:45 p.m., according to local news channel Fox 5.
Food poisoning is caused by consuming a meal contaminated with certain germs, such as salmonella or E.coli. Some types of foodborne illness make people sick within a few hours after eating the dish, while others may develop after a few days, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Symptoms are unpleasant for the victims, with most typically suffering from diarrhea, stomach cramps, vomiting, and fever. Symptoms run the gamut from mild to serious, and may last for between a few hours or even several days. The condition can be life-threatening in some cases…