Delta Hotel parties leave 87 sick, says P.E.I. chief public health office

The number of people reporting they fell ill after Christmas parties at the Delta Hotel in Charlottetown on Saturday night has risen to 87, the chief public health office told CBC News in an email.

The 87 people reported experiencing nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after attending one of three office functions at the hotel.

Dr. Heather Morrison, the province's chief public health officer, said most people have recovered with one or two days, and there have been no reports of hospitalizations.

Most people fell ill one or two days after the function, which included an extensive buffet, but Morrison said Wednesday it's not clear yet whether the illness is food-related or caused by a virus. 

Morrison said three office functions were held at the Delta that night. The three parties didn't share one buffet but all had food items in common and the same staff prepared the food.

Questionnaires have been sent out to staff at the Delta who either helped prepare food or were serving that night, and to the 165 people who attended. 

Food samples left over from the buffet were collected and have been frozen for possible future testing once more information comes back from the questionnaires.