The Chipotle restaurant in Billerica in Massachusetts is closed down temporarily on Tuesday after employees fell ill. Health officials one of the workers of the restaurant is diagnosed with Norovirus. The business establishment voluntarily closed down for cleaning.
According to Time, Chris Arnold, the spokesman for the Mexican grill restaurant chain in Billerica said they are doing "full sanitation". They confirmed that one employee has Norovirus as two other workers were also suspected of having the same virus, according to the health department of the town.
"Any employees who reported feeling ill will be held out of the restaurant until they fully recover," the statement said. The restaurant will likely be closed for a few days while the facility is cleaned and sanitized. Town officials also plans to have an inspection on the said restaurant on Wednesday, 7News reported.
Chipotle's shares dropped to 4.7 percent to $500.09 in late trading after the reports of the local media regarding the closed down, according to Bloomberg. Stocks also downed to 20 percent over the past 12 months. The temporary closure comes as the company is still recovering from a Norovirus outbreak as well as other health issue scares that keep customers and tarnished the name of the restaurant last year.
A Chipotle in Cleveland Circle was closed for weeks in December after more than 140 people, mainly Boston College students, became sick with symptoms of norovirus after eating there. All of the nationwide branches of the restaurant went for a staff meeting last month. Executives discussed during the meeting about the steps they are doing in order to ensure the health safety on its food.
No ill customers have been reported on the said recent incident. Norovirus causes inflammation in the stomach or intestines and leads to stomach pain, nausea, diarrhea or vomiting, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
