More than 350 people report getting sick from Ohio Chipotle: Officials

The Delaware General Health District has fielded 368 calls about a Chipotle.

August 1, 2018, 2:58 AM

An Ohio health department has fielded more than 350 inquiries from people possibly getting sick from a Chipotle, officials said Tuesday, raising new concerns of food-borne illness similar to those that plagued the restaurant chain in 2015.

Delaware County, Ohio, health officials said they are investigating the potential outbreak that may be linked to the restaurant in Powell over the last week.

PHOTO: A Chipotle in Powell, Ohio is closed on July 30, 2018, after reports of a possible food-borne illness affecting customers of the Sawmill Parkway location.
A Chipotle in Powell, Ohio is closed on July 30, 2018, after reports of a possible food-borne illness affecting customers of the Sawmill Parkway location.
WSYX

County health officials said in a statement on Tuesday that the number of people who have reported getting ill at the restaurant has jumped to 368.

"People reporting getting sick say they ate at the Sawmill Parkway location over the weekend," a statement from the Delaware County Health Department reads.

Officials said they are investigating the possibility of food-borne illnesses stemming from the restaurant in the suburb of Columbus, but have not pinpointed the source of the problem. Results from test were pending, the health department said.

The restaurant was shut down on Monday after an investigation was launched, but it's expected to reopen Tuesday afternoon.

PHOTO: A Chipotle in Powell, Ohio is closed on July 30, 2018, after reports of a possible food-borne illness affecting customers of the Sawmill Parkway location.
A Chipotle in Powell, Ohio is closed on July 30, 2018, after reports of a possible food-borne illness affecting customers of the Sawmill Parkway location.
WSYX

"Our protocols identified a handful of illness reports at one restaurant in Powell. ... We acted quickly and closed this single restaurant out of an abundance of caution and we are working with the local health officials to reopen this restaurant as soon as possible," said Laurie Schalow, a spokeswoman for Chipotle.

Health officials said people who said they ate at the restaurant complained of symptoms ranging from nausea, vomiting and diarrhea after eating at the restaurant between Thursday and Monday.

PHOTO: A Chipotle in Powell, Ohio is closed on July 30, 2018, after reports of a possible food-borne illness affecting customers of the Sawmill Parkway location.
A Chipotle in Powell, Ohio is closed on July 30, 2018, after reports of a possible food-borne illness affecting customers of the Sawmill Parkway location.
WSYX

An outbreak of E. coli hit the Chipotle chain in 2015, resulting in numerous customers getting sick at locations across 11 states.

The crisis prompted Chipotle officials to close 2,000 locations in February 2016 to conduct an employee food-safety training program.

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