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 Company spokesman Chris Arnold said Chipotle had received no current
reports of illness in New York City from customers or health
departments. Arnold said Chipotle had "very solid health department
scores" across New York City.
The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene said it
had not received reports of confirmed cases this year of foodborne
illness associated with Chipotle restaurants in the city.
The company's sales and stock swooned last year after health
officials linked E. coli, Salmonella and Norovirus outbreaks to its
restaurants, and the company is still recovering.
The tweet landed the same week the company launched an animated ad
that pokes fun at processed fast food, and in which the chain's
executive in charge of food giveaways and other sales-boosting
promotions was charged with cocaine possession.
Shares of Chipotle fell as much as 3.7 percent in early trading on
Thursday after Van Lustbader, author of "Jason Bourne" novels and
other works, tweeted: "This Chipotle thing is still ongoing. My
editor ended up in urgent care after being deathly ill all night
from eating at Chipotle's."
The tweet from Van Lustbader attracted dozens of comments from
Chipotle customers and traders. Some criticized him for publicizing
the illness and whipping up worry without a confirmed diagnosis of
food poisoning. Others simply sought more information.
The author in subsequent posts said he did not own shares of
Chipotle and did not know more than his editor told him.
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"Not interested in the stock. I'm interested in the health of my
editor and friend. Food poisoning always taken seriously," he added.
The onset of symptoms from botulism, Listeriosis, Salmonellosis,
Norovirus and Staphylococcal food poisoning can occur within hours
after exposure, while E. coli and some other illnesses typically
surface 24 hours to several days later, according to the U.S. Food
and Drug Administration.
Chipotle shares closed down 2.6 percent at $390.78 on Thursday. The
company's stock traded above $750 a share before last year's highly
publicized food safety lapses.
(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein; Editing by Chris Reese and Peter
Cooney)
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