Chipotle: 3 Oklahomans Sickened By E. Coli Ate At Norman Location

– The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday it is investigating a more recent batch of E. coli cases linked to Chipotle, and that it does not know yet if they are linked to a larger outbreak that began in October.

According to the federal agency, the most recent case related to the outbreak in this case was started on November 3, Reuters reported.

The FDA said it is working with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and state and local officials.

Since October, more than 50 people across California, Illinois, Maryland, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania and Washington have contracted E. Coli after eating at Chipotle.

Chipotle officials have taken action to enhance the company’s food safety program and hired Seattle-based IEH Laboratories to help improve the company’s safety practices, according to a Chipotle press release.

So far, 53 people have been sickened in nine states as a result of the dual E. coli outbreaks, and 47 of those people have confirmed eating at Chipotle before their illnesses started.

As long as new E. coli cases linked to Chipotle keep popping up, the chain’s estimated recovery time will lengthen. He says food safety is the top priority right now and managers are watching to make sure staff follows health and safety procedures.

Chipotle later said its fourth-quarter comparable-restaurant sales could drop by 8-10 percent, compared to a year earlier, marking the first decline in the company’s history. Two people from Kansas and North Dakota dined at the same Chipotle restaurant in Kansas, and three others dined at the same Chipotle restaurant in Oklahoma. The company is in the process of reviewing its safety standards and the management of its ingredients.

Most illnesses were reported from the western United States.

“We have indicated before that we expected that we may see additional cases stemming from this, and CDC is now reporting some additional cases”, Arnold wrote. As the illness and hospitalization toll rises, Chipotle’s stock continues to fall, as do burrito fans’ faith in the popular fast casual chain. “Because it is not known if these infections are related to the previously reported outbreak of STEC O26 infections, these illnesses are not being included in the case count for that investigation”. “The investigation has not identified what specific food is linked to illness”.