
State health officials are investigating a salmonella outbreak at over seventeen popular Chipotle restaurants in Minnesota, leaving five hospitalized.
Multiple Chipotle restaurants have been linked to a salmonella outbreak in the state of Minnesota, according to a spokesman from the Minnesota Department of Health. According to a report from CNN Money, the restaurant has cooperated with the investigative efforts into various types of contaminated produce.
Doug Schultz of Chipotle told CNN that the restaurant recently switched suppliers of the food items in question. Chipotle is investigating the suppliers as well as making sure that there were no employees who fell ill from handling infected produce.
The Minnesota Department of Health reported that 45 different people have been infected with Salmonella Newport bacteria since the first on September 2. State officials received reports from medical laboratories when two or more samples of the same strain show up in a short window of time.
17 different Chipotle restaurants were identified as potentially carrying infected produce. Officials say that most of the infections occurred between August 16 and August 26. The individuals infected were between 15 and 67 years old, and five individuals have been hospitalized so far.
“The safety and well being of our customers is always our highest priority,” the restaurant said in a statement. “While this issue in Minnesota does not present an ongoing risk to consumers, we are committed to working with health department officials while they look to determine a cause.”
Symptoms of this particular strain of salmonella include diarrhea, abdominal pain, and fever. Some extreme cases can cause blood stream infections, meningitis, or even death. Symptoms can take up to a week to appear after an individual has been infected.
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