More than 50 people were sickened with the symptoms of food poisoning after attending an NAACP gala in Redwood City, California on October 25, 2014 according to the San Jose Mercury News. At least twelve people had to be taken to the hospital to be treated for dehydration; some people are still hospitalized. The gala was the end of the 27th Annual NAACP California Hawaii State Convention.
More than 300 people attended the event, held at the Sofitel San Francisco Bay Hotel. One of the persons hospitalized was former Oakland Mayor and Assemblyman Elihu Harris.
Those who were sickened started feeling ill on Sunday morning. People were vomiting in the hotel lobby while paramedics were treating them.
Salmon and salad were part of the dinner served at the banquet. The hospitality firm that operates Sofitel is Accur; they are cooperating with public health inspectors to determine the cause of the possible outbreak.
The San Mateo County Environmental Health Services did not find any violations of food safety codes. Those who were sickened are being interviewed, and lab work is being studied to try to discover the source of the illnesses.
