Sick times at Chipotle

“Given the heightened requirements for produce – chiefly the high-resolution testing – we believe that some of our local growers will not meet these enhanced standards”, Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told ABC News.

Chipotle officials said the Boston contamination was not related to the E. coli affecting other franchises.

A Boston Public Health Department spokeswoman also said norovirus was probably the cause at another Chipotle branch in the city had the virus.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 52 people from nine states have been sickened, 20 have been hospitalized, but there are now no deaths.

Health inspectors across MA are examining Chipotle restaurants after dozens of Boston College students and other city residents contracted norovirus at a restaurant near campus, according to the Boston Herald.

The “how” part is still unclear, but infectious disease doctor Annupala Neelakanta at CHS-Pineville says E. coli outbreaks typically happen one of two ways.

During an inspection on Monday, health officials did come across some violations at Boston’s Cleveland Circle Chipotle location-meat stored at unsafe temperatures, and and a sick staff member had come into work.

Soon after the incident, the authorities alerted the Massachusetts Department of Public Health who are now investigating the matter.

Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc has more than 1,900 locations, mainly in the US. Norovirus is typically spread through contaminated food and water, touching surfaces or objects contaminated with norovirus and then putting your hand or fingers in your mouth and close contact with someone who is vomiting or has diarrhea.

CDC statistics show that from 1998 to 2014, there were 1,969 outbreaks in “sit-down” restaurants, causing 26,350 illnesses, 1,206 hospitalizations, and eight deaths. It causes as many as 21 million illnesses annually. However, it’s safe to assume that the next year will be a dark one for Chipotle in terms of stocks, unless something miraculous happens that restores customer faith in the restaurant chain.

Investors concerned about the incident drove the fast-casual food chain’s stock (CMG) down as much as 5% in early trading Tuesday on news of the new incident – but the stock regained some ground after the company indicated that it was likely norovirus and not another E.coli incident.

Many analysts say the brand’s signature appeal – fresh and quality ingredients (free of hormones, antibiotics and GMOs) – is now seen as a weakness. The illness often begins suddenly, and the infected person may feel very sick.