Events Calendar
In This Section
Hobo union picks Akron for national convention
Spread holiday cheer, not the flu at parties
Serve edamame for the nutrition
Newbies get help to start cooking
How to stretch meatloaf recipe
Food Notes: Join Lisa at culinary club's benefit dinner
New eateries expand menu of options
Ceremonies and special events to honor Veterans
Retired Green officer finally gets Bronze Star
John Rosemond: Children adapt to different discipline styles
Most Read Stories
Suitcase causes bomb scare at Akron bus terminal
Akron City Council OKs higher speed on I-77
Chapel Hill isn't rolling right along
Motorcyclist killed, wife injured in Stark County crash
New eateries expand menu of options
Man says he was punched, robbed by 3 people in parking lot
Patrick McManamon: Here's what the Browns should try the rest of the season
Louisville athlete commits to play for Boston College
Family found dead in Ohio home
Blogs:
Pets:
It Takes All Kinds
The Heldenfiles:
Tuesday Notebook
Patrick McManamon:
An interesting thought from a reader
Akron Zips:
Akron vs. Mount Union — Liveblog
Tribe Matters:
Indians announce spring dates
Cleveland Browns:
Mangini doesn't name a quarterback
Kent State Sports:
Flashes interested in another Cincinnati player
Cleveland Cavaliers:
Shaq: It’s All About Winning Championships
Buckeye Blogging:
Buckeyes Roll 100-60 / Season Outlook
Varsity Letters:
Report: Walsh baseball player commits
All Da King's Men:
More On The Fort Hood Jihadist
Blog of Mass Destruction:
Simply Incapable of Telling The Truth
Akron Law Café:
Health Care Financing Reform: (63) Commonwealth Fund Report on Primary Care
See Jane Style:
Muffle Your Muffler
Car Chase:
Clock Tender- Extending the Life of Collector Car Clocks
Let's Talk Real Estate:
Rumors: Akron Starbucks Closing
Ohio Travels with Betty:
Jack is looking for a trip to Southern Ohio the week of November 16.
Sound Check:
Aeromsith looking for new singer as Steven Tyler contemplates solo career
HRLite House:
Personal Rant – Why People Do Not Live in Northeast Ohio
Akron Gamer:
Video: 'Modern Warfare 2' hits the streets
180 report getting sick. Kent restaurant takes extra safety precautions
By Lisa Abraham
Beacon Journal food writer
Published on Sunday, Apr 20, 2008
The number of people who reported that they became ill after eating at the Chipotle Mexican Grill in Kent is up to 180, and health officials are continuing their investigation to determine the cause.
The restaurant at 429 E. Main St. was allowed to reopen at noon Saturday after it replaced all of its food stock and sanitized all of its equipment.
The restaurant also replaced all of its staff at the restaurant with employees from other stores.
Kent Health Commissioner John Ferlito said Saturday the health department and Denver-based restaurant chain agreed to switch employees out of concern that the outbreak might be caused by a sick employee. Several of the restaurant's employees had been ill, but they also had eaten the restaurant's food.
Ferlito said the cause of the illnesses could be something foodborne such as salmonella or could be a norovirus that started with a sick employee who contaminated the food.
It will be five days before test results of food samples and stool samples from sick customers are known, which should indicate the exact cause of the illnesses.
About 10 p.m. Thursday, people began showing up at the emergency room of Robinson Memorial Hospital with symptoms that included vomiting, diarrhea, abdominal cramps and nausea.
Over Thursday and Friday, about 50 people sought treatment at Robinson Memorial Hospital, three of whom were required to stay overnight because their symptoms were so severe.
Others were treated at Kent State's DeWeese Health Center, and others simply called the health department to report they had become ill and had treated themselves at home or saw their personal physicians.
Many of those who got ill were KSU students. The restaurant is directly across from the campus, and students who took part in a recent American Red Cross blood drive received a coupon for free food at Chipotle.
Norovirus gastroenteritis
Ferlito said Chipotle restaurants haven't had any problems at other stores and all of the food for the chain comes from the same source, which indicates the illness was specific to Kent.
Outbreaks of norovirus gastroenteritis have been traced to restaurants, cruise ships, nursing homes and other places where large numbers of people are served meals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
''People working with food who are sick with norovirus gastroenteritis are a particular risk to others, because they handle the food and drink many other people will consume. Since the virus is so small, a sick food handler can easily — without meaning to — contaminate the food he or she is handling. Many of those eating the contaminated food may become ill, causing an outbreak,'' according to the CDC Web site. The CDC estimates as many as half of all food-related outbreaks might be caused by norovirus.
Chipotle statement
Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold issued the following statement Saturday: ''Local health department officials have found no violations in inspections of our Kent State restaurant conducted after this incident was first reported, and again in an inspection this morning. We have reopened our restaurant with their full support. We have taken preventative steps that meet or exceed health department requirements, and will continue to assist them in their investigation.''
Anyone who thinks they might have gotten ill from food at the restaurant is asked to call the Kent Health Department at 330-678-8109 and to seek medical attention.
Robinson Memorial Hospital also offers a 24-hour emergency line at 330-297-2850.
Lisa A. Abraham can be reached at 330-996-3737 or labraham@thebeaconjournal.com.
The number of people who reported that they became ill after eating at the Chipotle Mexican Grill in Kent is up to 180, and health officials are continuing their investigation to determine the cause.
Get the full article here.
Comments
Click here to post your comments
