Sixteen employees and 60 customers have been sickened after eating at Chipotle in Simi Valley, California. So far one person has been hospitalized, and investigators are still searching for the pathogen responsible for the illness. The illnesses are associated with Chipotle products purchased and consumed on August 18th and 19th. After the outbreak was detected, the restaurant was shut down for a day of inspection and sanitation.

The restaurant underwent a day of cleaning on Saturday, August 22nd, 2015, and an inspection of the restaurant was performed on Monday, August 24th, 2015 which revealed several problems. The problems observed by inspectors included unsanitary conditions on the premises, the observation of flying insects, damaged walls or ceilings, an unclean restroom, and unclean equipment. Despite the poor inspection, the restaurant has remained open since Saturday, August 22nd, 2015.

If you or a loved one ate at the Chipotle at 1263 Simi Town Center Way in Simi Valley, California recently and began to show symptoms of food poisoning, contact a medical professional.

Those who experience severe illness as a result of E.coli may incur significant medical bills and find that the quality of their daily life is compromised. Anyone in this situation should promptly reach out to The Food Poisoning Lawyers @ The Merman Law Firm, P.C. for assistance asserting their legal right to fair and proper compensation. For more information, please visit their website www.thefoodpoisoninglawyers.com or give them a call at (888) 288-5846.

Signs & Symptoms of E.Coli

• People usually get sick from STEC (Shiga toxin-producing E. coli) 2-8 days (average of 3-4 days) after swallowing the organism (germ).

  • Most people infected with STEC develop diarrhea (often bloody) and abdominal cramps.

  • Most people recover within a week.

• Some illnesses last longer and can be more severe, resulting in a type of kidney failure called hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS).

• HUS can occur in people of any age, but is most common in young children under 5 years, older adults, and people with weakened immune systems.

• Symptoms of HUS can include fever, abdominal pain, pale skin tone, fatigue and irritability, small, unexplained bruises or bleeding from the nose and mouth, and decreased urination.

• People who experience these symptoms should seek emergency medical care immediately.

• Clinical laboratories are required in some states to send Shiga toxin-positive specimens from ill people to the state public health laboratory for identification of STEC and PulseNet testing.

• STEC infection is usually diagnosed by testing of a stool sample for Shiga toxins.