Physical Wellness

Boston’s Cleveland Circle Chipotle Locations tied to Norovirus Reopens

By Cheri Cheng | Update Date: Dec 28, 2015 09:17 AM EST

The Cleveland Circle Chipotle Mexican Grill in Boston has reopened on Saturday after it was linked to a norovirus outbreak. City officials had cleared the location a few days earlier.

The spokesman for Chipotle Chris Arnold stated that the delay in the reopening was due to a water leak that was not linked to the norovirus outbreak. 136 students from Boston College fell ill after eating at this particular location.

"We didn't have to do anything more than fixing the leak and any related damage," Arnold said reported by the Boston Globe.

The restaurant was closed down December 7 after officials found that it had multiple violations. One of the violations included a sick worker clocking in on December 3. The location also reportedly did not heat meat up adequately.

Officials stated that all employees have been tested last week and were free of the virus. The Boston chief health inspector will reportedly eat at the location on Monday "to show the world that we really do think it's OK," according to the Boston Herald.

The city's Inspectional Services Department Commissioner William Christopher Jr. added, "The Chipotle is probably the best place to eat right now, because it's the cleanest place in Boston. ...They have a clean bill of health."

The norovirus outbreak was not linked to the nationwide E. coli outbreak. 52 people from nine states had gotten sick from eating at a Chipotle.

Noroviruses are a group of highly contagious viruses that can lead to gastroenteritis, which is characterized by inflammation in the stomach and the lining of the large intestine. Noroviruses can spread via contact with infected surfaces, infection people, and contaminated food and water. Symptoms of an infection include diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and nausea.

In order to lower risk of infection, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends people to wash their hands with antibacterial soap, clean fresh produce with care, keep kitchen surfaces decontaminated, and avoid preparing food if infection.

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