In Oregon and Washington, 39 people have tested positive with strands of E.coli after eating food from Chipotle Mexican Restaurants according to officials.
12 of the 39 people have been hospitalized since the October 14 outbreak.
This marks Chipotle’s third food contamination scare since August.
A southern California Chipotle experienced a Norovirus outbreak that affected 80 customers and 18 employees in Simi Valley during mid-August. Chipotle restaurants in Minnesota were also connected to a Salmonella alarm during the month of August.
Khalil Rouse, a manager at the Apalachee Parkway location expressed that despite the recent outbreaks Tallahassee Chipotle restaurants have not seen a decline in their sales.
“It hasn’t affected business,” said Rouse. “We are tightening protocol and making sure produce is washed safely.”
Javon Floyd stated that after hearing of the Chipotle illnesses that he is more inclined to eat at Moe’s.
“I don’t eat Chipotle because I like Moe’s better.” He also added, “I probably won’t visit the restaurant again because of the illnesses.”
Haile Robertson, second-year occupational therapy student at Florida A&M University, and an avid Chipotle customer, expressed that she was unaware of the outbreak until Wednesday.
“I will be more cautious about eating at Chipotle chains now” Robertson said “I’ll still continue to eat there.”
An investigation has started in the Northwest region to identify the source of the food-borne contamination.