E.COLI Outbreak At Chipotle; Shares Plunge 13%

The CDC also reported two cases in California, two in Minnesota, two in NY, one in OH, and 13 in Oregon.

Chipotle said in a statement that it is working closely with state and federal health officials and noted that there have been no new reported cases of E. coli in Washington or Oregon.

Seattle attorney Bill Marler, who is representing almost three dozen people affected by the outbreak in OR and Washington state, said the increase in reported cases raises the likelihood that the culprit will be identified.

Previous counts had limited cases to Washington and OR, where 11 Chipotle restaurants were implicated, as well as Minnesota, where a person was believed to have traveled to the Pacific Northwest.

From the information gathered by the CDC, 43 of the 45 ill people interviewed ate at Chipotle Mexican Grill before they became ill. There have been no deaths. Investigators have yet to determine the specific ingredient linked to the illness at the current moment.

Chipotle Mexican Grill has reopened all of its restaurants in Washington and OR that had been closed in response to the investigation. The company also noted that none of its employees across the country had been ill as a result of the E. coli outbreak. Health officials said it’s the same E. coli strain that has been linked to cases in a number of different states.

Chipotle, based in Denver, has more than 1,900 locations and has gained popularity by touting the freshness and quality of its ingredients. Of those people, 43 said they had eaten at a Chipotle. “We will leave no stone unturned to ensure the safety of our food”.

Shares of Chipotle fell more than 9% following the CDC’s announcement Friday.

Following the new reports of more outbreaks on Friday, shares of Chipotle plunged 10 percent, hitting a record low for the year.

It was not immediately clear whether the outbreak is contained to Chipotles, or if contaminated food may have been supplied to other restaurants as well.