More Than 30 People Ill After Eating Three Kings Bread

People from multiple unrelated groups became ill with symptoms including dizziness, palpitations, and numbness after eating Rosca de Reyes Bread, also known as Three Kings Bread.

More than 30 people fell ill after eating bread distributed by a Santa Ana bakery.

People from multiple unrelated groups became ill with symptoms including dizziness, palpitations, and numbness after eating Rosca de Reyes bread, also known as Three Kings bread.

Upon further inspection, traces of a cockroach infestation were found by the Orange County Health Care Agency.

Cholula's Bakery's health permit was suspended while the agency investigated, though it wasn't immediately clear if the infestation was linked to the illnesses.

The fruit cake which is traditionally eaten on Jan. 6 to mark Three Kings Day, was distributed around California by Cholula's Bakery, which also sold the cakes at its location on East 17th Street.

It has been temporarily closed while Orange County Health Care Agency investigators try to discover  the cause of the illnesses.

 The bread  was delivered Monday and Tuesday to 10 stores from San Juan Capistrano to Long Beach, according to the Health Care Agency.

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Retailers and consumers were told to throw out any Rosca de Reyes from Cholula's.

Multiple patients were hospitalized with stomach aches at  Western Medical Center in Anaheim and St. Joseph Hospital in Orange, with the common denominator being “Rosca de Reyes' Santa Ana Police Department said.

Most of the calls came from St. Joseph's, and investigators later found four victims at Western Medical Center.

Victims include a man in his mid 40s, his teenager daughter and son, and a 4-year-old boy, who reported feeling nauseated and anxious as if they were under the influence of a drug,  The Orange County Fire Authority said. They were takien to the Western Medical Center.

The bread was sold at Cholula's Bakery and the following outlets:

   -- El Nopal Mercado, 31451 Camino Capistrano, San Juan Capistrano;

   -- La Bodega Ranch, 918 N. Glassell St., Orange;

   -- La Bodega Ranch, 1700 N. Placentia Ave., Fullerton;

   -- Santa Ana Marquet, 1216 W. 1st St., Santa Ana;

   -- Tony's Liquor, 32141 Alipaz St., San Juan Capistrano;

   -- Gonzalez Marquet, 235 W. La Jolla St., Placentia;

   -- Taqueria Mocorito Restaurant, 1076 N. State College Blvd., Anaheim;

   -- Taco Boy, 725 N. Anaheim Blvd., Anaheim;

   -- Brianna's Ice Cream, 2107 E. Ball Road, Anaheim;

   -- La Bodega Ranch Market, 4945 Long Beach Blvd., Long Beach.

City News Service contributed to this report

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