BOSTON—Boston College said Tuesday the number of students complaining of gastrointestinal symptoms after eating at a Chipotle this weekend has climbed to 80, up from the 30 it reported the previous day.
The illnesses come as Chipotle’s sales are already being slammed by a multi-state outbreak of E. coli linked to its restaurants. The company says it thinks the Boston College illnesses are an isolated case of norovirus and unrelated to the E. coli cases.
“All of the evidence we have points in that direction,” said Chris Arnold, a Chipotle spokesman.
Boston College said it is working with state health officials and that all students who reported symptoms have been tested for both E. Coli and norovirus. It said results will not be available for at least two days.
According to a report from the Boston Inspectional Services department, which is responsible for inspecting the city’s restaurants, an employee at the Chipotle restaurant in Cleveland Circle was sick while working a shift Thursday.
William Christopher, the department’s commissioner, said it was not immediately known if management at the Chipotle was aware of the employee’s symptoms. He said the restaurant’s permit to operate has been suspended by the city and that a disinfection process has begun.
