3 people in Oklahoma identified in E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has said the E. coli outbreak associated with Chipotle sickened 52 people in nine states. The number of ill people reported from each state is as follows: California (3), IL (1), Maryland (1), Minnesota (2), NY (1), OH (3), OR (13), Pennsylvania (2), and Washington (27).

A Johnson County resident is the latest person to fall ill with an E. coli infection that may be linked to Chipotle Mexican Grill.

Chipotle says its restaurants are revamping food safety practices and implementing new programs.

USA health officials are investigating Chipotle Mexican Grill restaurants for a possible connection to an outbreak of a different strain of E. coli. WGS is being used to determine if this strain is genetically related to the STEC O26 causing the larger outbreak.

A Chipotle spokesman said he won’t comment on pending legal action. New procedures include blanching certain fresh produce (briefly submerging it in boiling water) and conducting frequent DNA-based safety tests on small samples of ingredients before they’re shipped to restaurants.

The wave of people getting sick after eating at Chipotle restaurants may be getting a lot of attention, but such outbreaks of foodborne illness are unfortunately pretty common. The North Dakotan had traveled to Kansas and ate at the same Chipotle location as the Kansas resident who fell ill.

The restaurant chain is also increasing food safety training of its employees and making improvements to its ingredient testing. “Chipotle needs to regain the trust of their customers and it’s not going to come cheap”, Maxim Group analyst Stephen Anderson said.

An estimated 265,000 Shiga toxin-producing E.coli infections occur each year in the US, majority non-0157, according to the CDC, which uses estimates because not all illnesses are diagnosed and reported.

One of the worst performers was OR, which only analyzed and uploaded 38% of cases to PulseNet within that four-day window.

The agency said that investigation was ongoing and that it did not know if the illnesses were related to the previous outbreak. The company’s stock has been bludgeoned in the market, with each new case taking its toll and turning away consumers and investors alike.