|
 Investors are keenly sensitive to reports of illness linked to
Chipotle, which endured a string of sales-crushing E. coli,
salmonella and norovirus outbreaks in late 2015.
Chipotle's stock closed down 4.3 percent, or $17.02, at $374.98 on
Tuesday after falling as low as $362.40. The shares were trading at
nearly $750 before the company's previous food-safety incidents,
which battered the chain's profits and reputation.
Chipotle said on Tuesday the reported symptoms were consistent with
norovirus, a highly contagious virus that can cause severe vomiting
and diarrhea.
"Norovirus does not come from our food supply, and it is safe to eat
at Chipotle," Jim Marsden, Chipotle's executive director for food
safety, said in an emailed statement.
Chipotle's plan to reopen the store on Tuesday had been delayed,
spokesman Chris Arnold said. He did not immediately say when the
restaurant would reopen.
The suspected illnesses were first reported by Business Insider
earlier on Tuesday. It cited information from iwaspoisoned.com, a
website on which consumers document what they believe are incidents
of foodborne illness.
"In total, eight reports were made to the website, indicating that
at least 13 customers fell sick after eating there from July 14-15,"
the news site said.
[to top of second column] |
Chipotle voluntarily closed the restaurant on Monday, said Victor
Avitto, environmental health supervisor for the Loudoun County
Public Health Department, which has jurisdiction over the restaurant
on Tripleseven Road in Sterling, about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of
Washington.
Test results are expected later this week, Avitto said.
Norovirus, known as the "winter vomiting bug," is the leading cause
of illness and outbreaks from contaminated food in the United
States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
It can spread from person to person, as well as through food
prepared by an infected person. It often hits closed environments
such as daycare centers, schools and cruise ships. Most outbreaks
happen from November to April in the United States.
Chipotle will report second-quarter results on July 25.
(Reporting by Lisa Baertlein in Boston; Editing by Matthew Lewis and
Peter Cooney)
[© 2017 Thomson Reuters. All rights
reserved.] Copyright 2017 Reuters. All rights reserved. This material may not be published,
broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
 |
