Some two dozen Boston College students exhibited "gastrointestinal symptoms" Monday that may be the result of eating at the Mexican fast-food chain Chipotle, according to college officials.
The Massachusetts Department of Health confirmed more than 20 cases of illness at Boston College on Monday. The college said 30 students have shown symptoms.
ESPN reported at least eight players on the men’s basketball team are ill. Practice was canceled Monday, and Wednesday’s game is in jeopardy. The team lost Sunday night.
"Boston College has confirmed that several BC students and student-athletes, including members of the BC men's basketball team, have reported to BC Health Services complaining of gastrointestinal symptoms," school officials said in a statement Monday. "The common factor among the students is that they had all eaten at the Chipotle restaurant in Cleveland Circle."
The Chiptole location was shut down Monday night. According to the school, the Massachusetts Department of Public Health is investigating to determine whether Monday's illnesses are linked to a nationwide E. coli outbreak affecting Chiptole locations in Oregon, Washington, California, Minnesota, New York, Ohio and, most recently, Maryland.
"My mom told me not to eat there like a week ago because of it going on all over the country, but I didn’t really listen," one student said.
Chipotle, however, said no evidence links Monday's illnesses to the E. coli outbreak affecting other parts of the country.
U.S. & World
"The safety and well being of our customers is always our highest priority, so our restaurant at Cleveland Circle in Boston is temporarily closed while we work with local health officials to investigate a number of illnesses among Boston College students," the fast-food chain said in a statement Monday. "We do not have any evidence to suggest that this incident is related the previous E. coli incident. There are no confirmed cases of E. coli connected to Chipotle in Massachusetts."
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also said in a statement Monday it "has not received any reports of people infected with the outbreak strain of STEC O26 in Massachusetts related to the multistate outbreak linked to Chipotle."
Chipotle has implemented new food safety standards in response to the E. coli outbreak. The Denver-based chain said all produced will now be tested before being shipped to restaurant locations and employees will receive additional training on food safety and handling.
Stay with necn as the story develops.
