State says potato salad likely cause of botulism case
LANCASTER – The Ohio Department of Health said officials have concluded that potato salad made with home-canned potatoes is the likely cause of last week's botulism outbreak at Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church.
As of Monday, there are 21 confirmed botulism cases, including Kennetha "Kim" Shaw, who died after attending an April 19 potluck lunch at the church.
There are also 10 suspected botulism cases. Patients have been treated with an anti-toxin, and 12 remain hospitalized. Church pastor Bill Pitts said some are in critical but stable condition.
Botulism is a rare but serious paralytic illness caused by a nerve toxin produced by certain kinds of bacteria, the ODH said.
The state tested samples of food collected from the church's trash bins and found six positive tests, four of them potato salad, but said the samples could have been cross-contaminated.