Chipotle Boston Back in Business After 136 Cases of Norovirus Outbreak

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 Cleveland Circle Chipotle in Boston re-opens its doors for business just weeks after a widespread norovirus outbreak, infecting 136 customers.

According to ABC News, the Chipotle Mexican Grill, located near Boston College, has been closed since Dec. 7 after students from the said school and other customers fell ill because of gastrointestinal virus. The Washington Post even reported that included in the affected Chipotle patrons were members of Boston College's men's basketball team.

The news outlet reports that the norovirus outbreak in the said Chipotle branch was caused by an employee, who was working while sick.

The City of Boston decided to temporarily close the said restaurant at 1924 Beacon Street, Brighton after an inspection on Dec. 7, which resulted to three critical code violations: hot holding (chicken on the service line is 128F and steak is 124F), personnel with infections (an employee was sick during their shift on Thursday) and PIC performing duties (multiple reports of foodborne illness in the location).

As per Bonham Journal, the Boston Public Health Commission noted that the tests on the affected restaurant revealed that the outbreak was only caused by a single strain of norovirus. The Boston Inspectional Services also said that the said Chipotle branch has been cleared and negative for norovirus after a second round of test.

According to the local government, on Wednesday, the restaurant has passed the health inspection and can now reopen its doors on Thursday. However, an unrelated water leak has pushed back its opening to Saturday, per The Washington Post.

Bonnie McGilpin, spokeswoman od Mayor Marty Walsh, told ABC News that all the staff of the affected Chipotle branch have undergone and completed a food safety training program. Meanwhile, Chris Arnold, spokesman of Chipotle Mexican Grill, said that the restaurant's inspection "went very well" and that the food company will be supplying the branch again.

"We have completed a comprehensive reassessment of our food safety programs with an eye to finding best practices for each of the ingredients we use," Arnold explained.

As to reaffirm the restaurant's safety, Boston’s Inspectional Services Department Commissioner William “Buddy” Christopher Jr. told Boston Herald that, "The Chipotle is probably the best place to eat right now, because it’s the cleanest place in Boston. ... They have a clean bill of health.”

The norovirus case is not linked to the major shutdown of Chipotle branches due to reports of E. coli infections. Back in November, dozens of Chipotle branches have been shut down after a number of people were hospitalized due to E. coli cases, per CBS News.