Health Officials Investigating After Reports Of Ill Employees At West LA Chipotle
LOS ANGELES (CBSLA/AP) — Health officials are investigating a Chipotle restaurant in West Los Angeles after the burrito chain reported that some of its workers were ill with nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.
Los Angeles County health officials confirmed they were investigating a report from Chipotle corporate offices after reports on the I Was Poisoned website indicated at least five people experienced symptoms after eating at the location at 4550 West Pico Boulevard.
All complaints on the site - which allows consumers to anonymously report food sickness - were filed on or after Dec. 15. None of the customers reported visiting a doctor to treat their symptoms.
The website has previously identified outbreaks linked to other restaurants, including a separate rash of illnesses reportedly linked to a Chipotle restaurant in Virginia.
Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold confirmed Wednesday that the company had reported the illnesses to local health officials and said the employees are being held out of work. The restaurant was inspected Tuesday and remains open for business, Arnold said.
News of the possible outbreak saw Chipotle's stock drop by as much as over 3 percent in midday trading, the most in a month, according to reports.
The company has struggled to win back customers after previous food safety issues, including an E. coli outbreak in 2015.
(© Copyright 2017 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)