An outbreak of E. coli linked to Chipotle restaurants has sickened seven more people and expanded to three additional states, including Pennsylvania.
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The company noted in an SEC filing that sales have fluctuated a great deal along with developments in the E. coli outbreak – falling when stores closed, but rebounding when they reopen. The CDC added that out of 52 people infected, 47 reported eating at a Chipotle restaurants a week before the illness started.
Chipotle says it is tightening its food safety standards after its restaurants were linked to dozens of cases of E. coli. Investigators examining the outbreak connected to the fast-food burrito chain have seen cases in nine states, with Pennsylvania, Maryland, and IL added to a group that was already comprised of California, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, and Washington. It is important to state that majority of the illnesses have been in OR and Washington where cases were initially reported at the end of October.
Shiga toxin-producing E. coli bacteria is the type most commonly heard about in association with foodborne outbreaks.
While the source of the outbreak remains unknown, investigators believe that a fresh produce ingredient might have been shipped from one location to several restaurants across the country.
If you became ill with diarrhea symptoms after eating at a Chipotle recently, you should contact a doctor, the CDC said. The most recent sick individual began feeling ill on November 13. The chain will conduct DNA-based tests to analyze quality and safety of produce before it’s sent to restaurants, subject suppliers to quality testing and bolster worker training, among other measures.
Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said in an earlier interview that Chipotle’s limited menu may have made it more hard for investigators to detect the source of the outbreak. The agency has not yet determined the ingredient responsible. Its shares have dropped 25 percent since mid-October.
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The CDC said on November 20 that it is aware of illnesses starting between October 19 and November 8, but that additional cases could be reported for illnesses that started after October 31. Some of the features of the new program include: the use high-resolution testing on all fresh produce.
