1 dead in botulism outbreak linked to Ohio church potluck
A 54-year-old woman has died and others are hospitalized after being poisoned with botulism at a church potluck dinner in central Ohio, health officials said Wednesday. Botulism is rarely fatal. Its symptoms typically begin within 36 hours of consuming contaminated food. It can cause paralysis, double vision, difficulty swallowing and respiratory failure. All those sickened attended the potluck Sunday at Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church in Lancaster, about 30 miles southeast of Columbus, said Ohio Department of Health spokesman Russ Kennedy. As many as 60 people reportedly ate.
