The notorious E. coli outbreak related to restaurant chain Chipotle has made its way to three more states, putting the count of states affected by the outbreak at six.
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State and local public health officials are interviewing ill people to obtain information about foods they might have eaten and other exposures in the week before their illness started.
Accroding to the CDC, 45 people are now reported to be infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 have now been reported from a total of 6 states: California (2), Minnesota (2), NY (1), OH (1), OR (13), and Washington (26).
The new reported cases of illness were linked to Chipotle restaurants in Turlock, California; Akron, Ohio; Amherst, New York; and Burnsville, Minnesota, according to Reuters.
The Chipotle E. coli outbreak has also changed the tastes of people with demands for more fresh food and less processed food.
“The epidemiologic evidence available at this time suggests that a common meal item or ingredient served at Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants in several states is a likely source of this outbreak”. No death has yet been reported.
In the latest press release issued on Friday, Chipotle stated that CDC has informed the Mexican grill that it identified six additional cases in which initial testing matches the E. coli strain involved in the Washington and OR incident.
“At the moment we do not believe that it is necessary to close any restaurants”, Chipotle spokesperson Chris Arnold said, noting the company has taken measures, including deep cleaning restaurants and replacing ingredients, to prevent further outbreak.
Chipotle, which is based in Denver, has about 1,900 restaurants, including more than 40 in the Bay Area. According to CDC, feeling of illness about 3 to 4 days after contact with the germs is the main symptoms of the E. coli infection.
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Steve Ells, chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, apologized to those who have been affected. As for what menu item might be the culprit, CBS reports the CDC is still investigating the source, backtracking through company’s supply chain.
