More than 40 individuals have fallen sick with E. coli food poisoning subsequent to eating at Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG.N) restaurants in six different states, government wellbeing authorities said on Friday, sending shares of the burrito chain to a 18-month low. The restaurants have since reopened.
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New reports of sickness were linked to Chipotle restaurants in California, Akron, Turlock, Amherst, Ohio, Burnsville, New York, and Minnesota.
The source of contamination within the restaurants remains unknown, but health officials believe it is a single ingredient. Seattle lawyer Bill Marler, who is representing to about three dozen individuals affected by the flare-up in OR and Washington state, said the increment in reported cases raises the probability that the culprit will be recognized.
“The food item that caused was distributed and served at the end of October that caused the illness is probably no longer at that Chipotle restaurant, it’s already been consumed or disposed of because we have not identified any subsequent cases and neither have the health departments in the other five states”, Gale Burstein, Erie County Commissioner of Health, said. Chipotle has also conducted voluntary testings on their own to test food coming to their branches. The investigation is ongoing to determine what specific food is linked to this illness. Chairman and co-CEO of Chipotle, Steve Ells, said in a statement the company will “leave no stone unturned”.
Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. closed 43 restaurants in OR and Washington in late October after health officials discovered most of the people sickened in the outbreak had eaten at its restaurants. Previously, the situation was associated with just OR and Washington. Following this incident, the corporation has taken aggressive steps to make sure its restaurants are as save as possible. We offer our sincerest apologies to those who have been affected. The company has also tapped professional consultants who can advise them on food safety and has updated their food preparation methods. Before reopening, each location replaced their food supply with all new food, sanitized each location and tested ingredients.
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The infection can cause vomiting, abdominal cramps and bloody diarrhea, so treatment includes hydration. More severe cases in those with weakened immune systems can lead to a type of kidney failure known as hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which typically affects children and older adults. So far, there have been no serious complications or reported deaths, reports Reuters.
