Boston College: 80 sickened after eating at Chipotle

“All of the evidence we have points in that direction”, says spokesman Chris Arnold. All of the affected students said they dined at a single Chipotle restaurant located on 1924 Beacon St. over the weekend, an official from Boston College confirmed.

Chipotle has blamed a norovirus for making 80 Boston College students who ate at the Mexican restaurant sick.

According to the release from Chipotle, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention reports about 48 million cases of food-related illness in the USA annually.

The commission also said some non-Boston College patrons of the restaurant had reported symptoms as well.

Chipotle has since closed its Cleveland Circle restaurant in Boston, and had subsequently elaborated that the students fell victim to an isolated norovirus case. Health officials have tested all 80 people for Norovirus and E. coli and will have results within 48 hours.

City inspectors shuttered the location temporarily on Monday after uncovering violations that included an employee working a shift while sick and meat not being stored at proper temperatures. The company also said they were changing their procedures and implemented stricter safety measures.

Common symptoms include diarrhea, vomiting, nausea and stomach pain.

Soon after the incident, the authorities alerted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health who are now investigating the matter. It can spread through infected people, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist at Vanderbilt University, explained that samples from patients will likely be tested to see if they are a DNA match for the E.coli strain that has sickened people in multiple states. At least 11 locations in Washington and OR were linked to E. coli cases in those states between October 13 and November 7, though no new illnesses have occurred since then, according to the release.

Chipotle closed the outlet in the city’s Cleveland Circle on Monday as officials suspended the location’s permit to operate and ordered a disinfection process.

Chipotle’s stock dropped in premarket trading Tuesday as the Mexican food chain continues to deal with fallout from an E. coli outbreak and contends with weakening sales. On Tuesday, Chief Financial Officer Jack Hartung told investors to expect declining same-store sales – and even menu price hikes – by 2017 to cover the cost of its “significant investment” in improving the safety of its food.