Chipotle closes Boston restaurant after college students report getting sick

Chipotle said it has closed the Boston restaurant where the students ate while it works with local health officials investigating the illnesses.

The shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill are trading lower as the company continues to face problems related to the E.coli outbreak that sickened dozens of customers.

Chipotle’s stock has lost more than $100, or 14 percent of its value, since reports of food poisoning linked to the company emerged in November.

Chipotle said late Monday that it closed the restaurant after several students at Boston College, including members of the mens basketball team, reported gastrointestinal symptoms after eating at the chain.

The virus is very contagious and can be spread through food, water, touching contaminated surfaces or having contact with an infected person, health officials said.

Boston College spokesman Jack Dunn said on the Tuesday that affected students have been tested for E. coli and norovirus, and that the results are not expected for at least two days.

The Boston College men’s basketball team canceled practice on Monday after at least 10 players came down with stomach issues. All of these students indicated that they had eaten at the Chipotle restaurant in Cleveland Circle during the past weekend.

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. The first cases were reported at the end of October in OR and Washington, with additional cases later being reported in seven other states.

The cause of the illness is still under investigation as students have been tested for both E. coli and norovirus.

MA is not among the states where the agency has confirmed cases.

On Friday, the company said that sales have plummeted since the outbreak was linked to the chain. “According to the CDC, there are approximately 20 million cases a year, making them the leading cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S”. “That said, we are in the process of implementing an enhanced food safety system nationwide that will make us the industry leader in food safety”. (See: Chipotle Mexican Grill: Pork shortage slows down comparable sales growth) The company’s decision to suspend one of its pork suppliers in the USA after an audit, on claims of below standard animal welfare protocols, did not go down well among the investors. Vetr upgraded shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill from a “hold” rating to a “buy” rating and set a $725.11 price target on the stock in a report on Wednesday, August 26th.