19 runners hospitalized after 'unusual symptoms' at California half-marathon; heat exhaustion might be a reason as Santa Barbara temperatures reached 86 degree Fahrenheit

Mysterious illness affects 19 participants of Santa Barbara Half Marathon. At least 19 runners were hospitalized after experiencing unusual symptoms following the Santa Barbara Half Marathon in California, prompting a police investigation into what caused the participants to fall ill.The race took place on Sunday, November 8, with around 7,500 people participating in the 13.1-mile event. Several runners were taken to hospitals in Santa Barbara and nearby Goleta after reporting similar symptoms whose cause has not yet been established.Cottage Health, which operates the hospitals that treated the participants, confirmed that 19 runners arrived at its emergency departments following the race."We have a larger than expected number of emergency visits that are tracked to participants in this morning's organized run in [Santa Barbara]," the hospital system said in a statement. "This morning 19 participants arrived at Cottage EDs, a number of them with similar symptoms of undetermined cause."The hospital said it was investigating whether the illnesses were linked to the heat or other factors.Santa Barbara police are also investigating the incident. Authorities said they received a report ...