OLYMPIA, Wash. — Many Chipotle restaurants voluntarily closed this week after 19 cases of E. coli in Washington state and three in Oregon were linked to them. Seven of the patients in Washington were hospitalized as well as one in Oregon. No deaths have been reported.
The source of the outbreak is still being investigated, though it appears to be connected to food served at Chipotle restaurants. Restaurants in Washington voluntarily closed until further information about the cause is available.
“Anyone who thinks they may have become ill from eating at a Chipotle restaurant in the past three weeks should consult their healthcare provider,” said Washington State Epidemiologist Dr. Scott Lindquist. “The elderly and very young children are more likely to become severely ill from this kind of E. coli infection.”
Some types of E. coli can cause bloody diarrhea, abdominal cramps, fever, and vomiting. Those kinds of the bacteria can sometimes result in life-threatening illness and may be fatal.
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