Unusual Symptoms Send Dozens to Hospital as Police Investigate California Half Marathon
Police open an investigation
The Santa Barbara Police Department began investigating after Cottage Hospital reported that multiple runners had sought treatment for unusual symptoms. Neither police nor the hospital specified what those symptoms were.
Cottage Health said it saw more emergency visits than expected, with several patients showing similar symptoms whose cause had not been determined. A police spokesperson did not immediately provide an update on the investigation Monday.
Hospital visits and conditions
Cottage Health said 25 participants went to emergency rooms at its Santa Barbara and Goleta locations. By Monday morning, 18 had been discharged, while the others were in stable condition.
Heat and race conditions
Organizers said they believed any illness was attributable to heat or dehydration. Monico said the medical team had not encountered symptoms outside what it considered normal for an endurance event.
Santa Barbara reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit, about 27 degrees Celsius, by 10 a.m. on Sunday. National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kitell said that was unusual for November, when highs generally reach the lower to mid-70s.
Thousands took part
About 7,500 people ran the 13.1-mile, or 21.1-kilometer, course along the Pacific Ocean and through downtown Santa Barbara. The number of hospital visits reported by Cottage Health was higher than the 15 people organizers said they transported from the medical tent. The accounts describe different figures, and the article does not explain the difference.
Key points
- Police are investigating reports of unusual symptoms among Santa Barbara Half Marathon participants.
- Cottage Health reported 25 emergency visits; 18 patients had been discharged by Monday morning.
- Organizers said they suspected heat or dehydration, but the symptoms’ cause had not been determined.
- About 7,500 people ran the 13.1-mile course as temperatures reached 80 degrees Fahrenheit.