Second norovirus case confirmed amid Chipotle food scare

A second person has tested positive for norovirus after visiting a Chipotle restaurant in Virginia earlier this month, health department officials said.

The Loudoun County Health Department in Virginia says it also identified more than 135 who reported becoming ill after visiting a Chipotle restaurant in Sterling, Va., during July 13 through 16. The department also said they have not identified a specific source of the norovirus, and they are not aware of any customers becoming sick since the restaurant has reopened.

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Chipotle said the restaurant underwent “complete sanitizations.” The first illness was reported last week, and Chipotle officials said the reported symptoms were consistent with norovirus, a common cause of viral gastroenteritis. Symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, stomach pain, dehydration and nausea.

This isn’t the first time Chipotle has had issues with food-related illnesses. The company was hit by multiple outbreaks of E. coli in 2015, causing dozens of customers to get sick. No deaths were reported related to the outbreaks.

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Every year, 48 million Americans gets sick by consuming contaminated foods or beverages, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. CDC officials also estimate norovirus causes 19 to 21 million cases each year in the U.S. It attributes to 570 to 800 deaths yearly, mostly among young children and adults.

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