Officials with the Adams and Pike County Illinois Health departments now say that at least 35 people have been stricken in what they're calling an outbreak of food borne illness associated with the Pike County Fall Color Drive in mid-October.

In a joint statement released Wednesday afternoon, the health departments say they've identified more than 35 cases of Gastro-Intestinal illnesses in festival attendees who drank apple cider bought from vendors at two locations. They also say several people have been hospitalized, and more illnesses are being reported.

The departments say they still haven't determined the exact type of germ causing the illness, but suspect it's either E. Coli and Crypto-sporidium.

Samples have been sent to the Illinois State Laboratory and to the CDC for testing to determine the exact organism causing the illness and the actual food source.