The Mansfield News Journal of Ohio reports that 68 people who attended a March 5 employee appreciation luncheon at Emerson Precision fell ill with norovirus, but health officials were unable to pin down exactly where the bug was picked up.

More than half of the 102 Emerson workers present at the luncheon had vomiting, diarrhea and, in some cases, a low-grade fever. Some workers from a restaurant that provided the event’s sandwiches, salads and cookies reported illnesses, too.

The luncheon was on a Friday. The owner of the restaurant called health officials early Monday.

Matthew Work, environmental health chief for the Mansfield-Ontario-Richland County Health Department, said,

"We had a call from (the owner) himself. He informed us that some people had gotten sick and asked for our help in investigating it. He did a great job of telling us right away."