Thanksgiving dinner turns deadly: 3 dead, 8 people hospitalized and many other fell sick

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At least 17 people fell ill over the weekend after having a Thanksgiving dinner in Northern California, and more than a double the number of people initially reported as a probable outbreak of food-borne illness.

Per Dr. Louise McNitt, director of infectious disease for Contra Costa County Health Services, either of the 17 people attended a dinner in Thursday at an American Legion Hall in Antioch or consumed the food that has been taken afterward, mostly became sick after 24 hours.

There were eight people was admitted to the hospital in Antioch between Friday and Saturday, 3 of them died. It remains unclear if it is an outbreak of food-borne illness since all the victims reportedly living together, Contra Costa County Health Services officials said.

According to NBC Bay Arena, it was also confirmed by Sutter Delta Medical Center in Antioch that they received eight patients with probable foodborne illness symptoms like nausea, diarrhea, and vomiting. Three patients died, four patients were treated and released, and one patient is still hospitalized.

Officials said while the investigation is still in its early stage, they are not treating the incidents as a food-related outbreak because they have no evidence outside the family got sick. Also, they have no reason to be concerned about the American Legion Facility who prepared the meal for the Thanksgiving dinner.

"Patients age ranges from teens to 70s, and many of the victims were residents of the board-and-care facilities," Marilyn Underwood, director of environmental health for the county health department, said in Los Angeles Times.

A total of 835 people attended the Thanksgiving dinner at the American Legion Hall in Antioch. Hosted by Golden Hills Community Church, the feast is open to members of the public and welcomed families, homeless people and residents of the adult care facilities.

The meal included the traditional Thanksgiving turkey, ham, mashed potatoes, green beans and cream corn.

County officials still do not know who was responsible for the preparation of the food, but they said some of the food was brought from other facilities and some were prepared by the hall. They also said permit was not required in this event.

In the Golden Hills Community Church website, in their statement, "the source of the illness is not known and could have come from any of several sources. Our dinner in Antioch is only one the possibilities that the county health is investigating."

The church also added that the members are fervently praying for the families who lost loved ones and for others who are sick.