An E. Coli outbreak in Washington State and Oregon has caused Chipotle to shut down 43 restaurants. This outbreak is the third in 2015 alone.
There is a current investigation to 19 cases of E.Coli reported in Washington and three cases in Oregon. Eight people have been hospitalized but no deaths have been reported.
The Oregon Health Authority reported the affected people ate at Chipotle restaurants between October 14 through October 23.
“We believe that a food item is probably the cause of these infections but we don’t know at this time what food item that is,” said Marisa D’Angeli, medical epidemiologist with the Washington State Department of Health in an interview with The Associated Press.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), E. Coli bacteria live in the intestines of people and animals. However, some E. coli are pathogenic and may cause illnesses like diarrhea or illnesses outside of the intestinal tract. Treatments include hydration and most cases resolve themselves within seven days.
To reduce the risk for infection, the CDC recommends people to:
- Know your risk of food poisoning. People at higher risk for foodborne illness are pregnant women and newborns, children, older adults, and those with weak immune systems.
- Consult your healthcare provider if you think you might be ill with E. coli infection.
- Practice proper hygiene, especially good hand washing
- Wash your hands thoroughly after using the bathroom, changing diapers, and before preparing or eating food.
- Wash your hands after contact with animals or their environments (at farms, petting zoos, fairs, even your own backyard).
- Always wash your hands before preparing and feeding bottles or foods to an infant, before touching an infant’s mouth, and before touching pacifiers or other things that go into an infant’s mouth.
- Keep all objects that enter infants’ mouths (such as pacifiers and teethers) clean.
- If soap and water aren’t available, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer. These alcohol-based products can quickly reduce the number of germs on hands in some situations, but they are not a substitute for washing with soap and running water.
- Follow clean, separate, cook, chill guidelines
- Cook meats thoroughly. Ground beef and meat that has been needle-tenderized should be cooked to a temperature of at least 160°F (70˚C). Use a thermometer to verify the temperature, as color is not a very reliable indicator of how thoroughly meat has been cooked.
- Prevent cross-contamination in food preparation areas by thoroughly washing hands, counters, cutting boards, and utensils after they touch raw meat.
- Avoid consuming raw milk, unpasteurized dairy products, and unpasteurized juices (like fresh apple cider).
- Avoid swallowing water when swimming and when playing in lakes, ponds, streams, swimming pools, and backyard “kiddie” pools.
To learn if you’re at risk for infection, click here.
