Number of Boston College students sickened at Chipotle grows

On Monday 30 Boston College students, including at least eight members of the men’s basketball team, complained of gastrointestinal symptoms after eating at a Chipotle restaurant.

Officials at Boston College Student Heath reported today that more than 120 BC students have reported to BC Health Services with symptoms consistent with the Norovirus.

Scott Zobach, a spokesman for the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, said the agency had no update on the cause of the illnesses at Boston College. It temporarily closed its Cleveland Circle location, where the students ate, while health officials investigated.

The crisis in Boston comes on the heels of an E. coli outbreak linked to Chipotle across nine states that sickened more than 50 people at the end of last month. But it’s not clear if that employee had norovirus, said Chris Arnold, a spokesman for Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. Edwards pointed out that if a restaurant customer is sick and touches a table, another person can be infected if he or she touches the contaminated table and then eats food, like a burrito, by hand.

This appears to be the peak of the outbreak, but Ells cautioned that the contagious nature of norovirus could mean there will be more cases reported. All came back negative for E. coli.

Norovirus is sometimes overlooked, because it is less likely to kill you than disease-causing forms of E. Coli or salmonella.

The norovirus can be transmitted through contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces, according to the CDC.

Norovirus, also known as gastroenteritis, causes diarrhea, vomiting, and stomach pain.

Chipotle did not respond to a request for comment by time of publication.

Reuters reports that shares for the company jumped over 5% after Ells’ apology. Chipotle’s shares fell 6.47 percent this year before October 31, when health authorities initially reported E. Coli victims linked to a meal at a Chipotle restaurant.

Steve Ells, co-chief executive officer of the restaurant chain, also pledged that strict new food-safety practices would prevent future outbreaks. The company has said it is tightening its food safety procedures, and that some of its local produce suppliers might not be able to meet the new standards.