The 18th annual Chincoteague Volunteer Fire Company’s Chili and Chowder Cook Off, held Sat. Sept. 30, sickened dozens of the approximately 2,000 attendees.
Reports started to trickle in about people becoming seriously ill. Enough people fell ill to prompt an investigation from the state Department of Health. Dozens sounded off on social media about gastrointestinal problems.
On Monday, the Division of Consolidated Laboratory Services (state laboratory) in Richmond apparently identified Salmonella in specimens that they received which were associated with the event. The investigation is still ongoing in regard to what food or food items may have caused the outbreak.
According to health department officials, they are continuing to try to reach more than 2,000 attendees from multiple states in order to get them to submit information to the online outbreak survey and see their primary care provider if the are still ill.
Attendees, whether ill or well, are asked to complete the online survey related to this incident. To take the survey, click here.