The school said it was working with local health officials to determine whether the illnesses were tied to an outbreak of E. coli that has been linked to Chipotle.
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Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn said on the Tuesday that affected students have been tested for E. coli and norovirus, and that the results are not expected for at least two days. Chipotle has closed its Cleveland Circle location in the wake of these findings, with Boston health officials citing an apparently ill employee and low chicken storage temperatures as additional reasons for concern.
Eight players have been infected with E. coli, a Boston College coach confirmed to the university’s newspaper, BC Interruptions, late on Monday (Dec. 7).
The college said in a statement Monday that it had notified the Massachusetts Department of Public Health that the students, including members of the men’s basketball team, requested treatment for “gastrointestinal symptoms”.
“We do not have any evidence to suggest that this incident is related the previous E. coli incident”, the company said.
The burrito chain is coming under tough times recently, after having been linked a few weeks ago to a mysterious E. coli outbreak in OR – and now, things are bad in Boston, too! Boston College’s administration sent an email to students warning against eating at the restaurant, which has been temporarily shuttered.
MA is not among the states where the agency has confirmed cases. “According to CDC, there are approximately 20 million cases a year, making them the leading cause of gastroenteritis in the USA”.
He added that local health officials “seem to be leaning” toward the fact that a norovirus was the cause of the gastrointestinal symptoms and not E.coli.
Norovirus and E. coli have similar symptoms – diarrhea, stomach cramps, nausea and fever.
Chipotle’s share price fell 2.9%.
“If there is a question of illness, we want to make sure the establishment will properly manage it so there will not be a thing”, Boston Inspectional Services Commissioner William Christopher Jr. said.
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The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the outbreak has sickened 52 people in nine states so far, but has not yet identified the ingredient that made people sick.
