Ohio Department of Health officials say they are closer to finding the source of botulism that killed one person and sickened many more after a church picnic in central Ohio last weekend.
Department spokesperson Michelle Loparo says six food samples retrieved from a garbage bag at the Cross Pointe Free Will Baptist Church in Lancaster have tested positive for botulism. Four of the samples were potato salad, along with a sample of macaroni and cheese and a spaghetti pasta salad. Since they were all in the garbage together, more testing is required to determine which of the foods was initially contaminated. 55-year-old Kennetha Shaw of Rushville died from botulism after the Sunday potluck. Nineteen other botulism cases have been confirmed, in addition to nine suspected cases.
