Chipotle Mexican ‘Ill’ spreads next door
A probe into illnesses at a Chipotle Mexican Grill location in Los Angeles has expanded into the pizza joint next door, according to local officials.
There is an “overlap” of employees at the Chipotle and the neighboring PizzaRev, and “some staff worked at both locations,” the Los Angeles Department of Public Health told The Post.
The agency said it hasn’t reached a final tally of sick workers and customers, but said they “currently do not exceed 20 for either category.”
Both locations are still open and are cooperating with the investigation, which hasn’t pinpointed any “specific food item or condition” as the culprit, an official said.
Chipotle’s stock took a tumble earlier this week as diners on iwaspoisoned.com said they experienced vomiting and nausea after visiting the chain’s 4550 W. Pico Blvd. location. Many of those posting say they visited that Chipotle between Dec. 12 and Dec. 15.
PizzaRev customers, meanwhile, also reported illnesses on iwaspoisoned.com. One family ate there on Dec. 12, and within hours, they were all sick, according to a Dec. 20 post.
Reps from PizzaRev did not immediately respond to requests to comment.
The scare is another bruise for Chipotle, which has dealt with repeated E. coli and norovirus outbreaks over the last two years.
“We take any report of illness very seriously,” Chipotle said in a statement regarding the latest scare, adding that it has “implemented heightened preventative procedures” at the LA location.
“We are aware of some reports on usergenerated reporting sites, but there is no clinical validation associated with those reports,” the company said.