Norovirus suspected at Chipotle

An E. coli outbreak tied to Chipotle has sickened 52 people in nine states so far, but MA has not been affected.

That outbreak was the company’s third food safety incident since August.

“The number of Boston College students who have reported to BC Health Services with GI symptoms has risen to 80 as of noon today”.

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

Now, Boston College administrators claim that 80 students have fallen ill after eating at a nearby Chipotle location… and according to Boston health officials, E. coli isn’t the culprit this time around.

Boston College says all students have been tested for both E. Coli and norovirus, and that results will not be available for at least two days.

An inspector temporarily suspended Chipotle’s permit after finding three violations: cooked chicken and steak was below the proper holding temperature of 140 degrees and an employee working despite being sick.

In its latest annual report, Chipotle explained it may be at a higher risk of food-borne illness than some competitors due to its “use of fresh produce and meats rather than frozen” and “reliance on employees cooking with traditional methods rather than automation”.

Chris Arnold, a spokesperson for the eatery, said the company agreed with health officials that it is likely a norovirus, which seems very consistent with the pattern here.

The school sent an alert to students, which read, “The Massachusetts Department of Public Health has been notified and is working to determine if there is a link to the ongoing national outbreak of E. coli”. One was Dennis Clifford, the team’s leading rebounder, who did not play in the Eagles’ 68-66 loss Sunday.