Police in Santa Barbara are investigating the circumstances surrounding the hospitalization of 27 participants from Sunday’s half-marathon who sought emergency care for similar symptoms.
The investigation was initiated after officials at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital reported an unusual influx of patients who had competed in the event.
The Santa Barbara Police Department launched the inquiry after multiple runners began arriving at local emergency departments with symptoms that medical staff described as unusual and of undetermined cause. While the incident initially involved 19 patients, the number of individuals seeking care rose to 27 by Monday.
At least 19 runners rushed to hospital with 'unusual symptoms' at California half marathon as rumors swirl over cause https://t.co/0BKOjoOaYr pic.twitter.com/XEEkOxVjsI
According to reports from the Santa Barbara Police Department, the affected runners reached the emergency departments at Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital and Goleta Valley Cottage Hospital through various means, including ambulance transport, self-transportation, or by arriving as walk-ins. By Monday morning, 24 of these runners had been treated and discharged, while three remained in stable condition, according to Cottage Health.
This morning 19 participants arrived at Cottage EDs, a number of them with similar symptoms of undetermined cause,
Cottage Health stated. We are working to determine whether this is due to the heat or other factors.
The race, which saw more than 7,500 registered participants, began at 7:00 a.m. on November 8. According to readings from the National Weather Service taken at the Santa Barbara Municipal Airport, temperatures were in the 60s shortly after the start but rose into the 70s by noon and reached 82 degrees by 2:30 p.m. National Weather Service meteorologist Ryan Kitell noted that this peak was 11 degrees above the typical high for the date, which usually reaches the lower to mid-70s in November.
Patrick Tatum, a runner, observed that the coastal clouds that typically shield the course from the sun were absent this year.
In years past, we’ve had overcast skies or less warm temperatures this time of year, so we have not had this many transports, but there’s always a handful,
Monico said. But this year, it was more than we’ve had in the past. We also had more runners than we’ve had in the past as well.
One runner, Kate Sheppard, stated that the lack of shade and the unrelenting sun along the beach made the race mentally and physically difficult, despite her efforts to increase her water and electrolyte intake.
Authorities have not identified any broader public health risk or ongoing threat to the community. Officials have requested that any individuals with information regarding the incident contact Sgt. Andre Miller.
There was a lot that has been said on social media and was circulated, and so (the police are) doing their due diligence to see if there’s any facts and truth behind it,
Monico said. Our wish is that everybody gets safe from point A to point B.
The Santa Barbara County health department stated that the medical incidents appear to be isolated and directly connected to race participation and the weather. For those affected, Monico expressed sympathy, stating, For friends and family of those that had been transported and were hospitalized, we feel for them. We want them to come home safely.
