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Salmonella cases linked to Minnesota Chipotle restaurants

Minnesota state health and agriculture officials are investigating an outbreak of salmonellosis reportedly associated with eating at Chipotle restaurants, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The agency stated today that 45 cases of Salmonella Newport infection have been reported since Sept. 2.

September 11, 2015

Minnesota health and agriculture officials are investigating an outbreak of salmonellosis reportedly associated with eating at Chipotle restaurants, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The agency stated today that 45 cases of Salmonella Newport infection have been reported since Sept. 2.

The investigation has found the 45 cases were all infected with Salmonella Newport bacteria matching or very similar DNA fingerprints, according to a MDH press release. Of the 34 people who have been interviewed to date, 32 ate or likely ate at 17 different Chipotle locations. Most of the locations are in the Twin Cities metro area with one in St. Cloud and one in Rochester. The meal dates range from Aug. 16 to Aug. 26, and victims became ill between Aug. 20 and Aug. 29, according to the MDH.

The cases range in age from 15 to 67 years and are from eight metro and greater Minnesota counties; 56 percent are male. Five cases have been hospitalized; all are recovering.

Investigators from MDH and the Minnesota Department of Agriculture are working on identifying a specific food item source of the outbreak. In the meantime, Chipotle has changed the source of the suspect produce item under investigation, according to the Minnesota Department of Health. The health department said that between Aug. 16 and Aug. 26, the chain served more than 560,000 customers in Minnesota but has taken every appropriate measure to ensure it is safe to eat at its restaurants. Investigators are confident ongoing transmission at Chipotle as part of the outbreak has ended.

"Chipotle has been extremely proactive in collaborating with investigators to quickly control the outbreak and identify its source," said Dana Eikmeier, epidemiologist for the Foodborne Diseases Unit of MDH.

The Chipotle locations involved to date are 7 Corners (Minneapolis), Bloomington, Calhoun, Crystal, Hopkins, Maple Grove, Maplewood, Minnetonka, Richfield, Ridgedale, Rochester, Shoreview, St. Cloud, St. Louis Park, St. Paul Lawson, Uptown, and US Bank Plaza (Minneapolis). However, it is possible other locations in Minnesota could have been affected as well. At this time there is no indication locations outside of Minnesota are involved, according to the MDH.

About 700 cases of salmonellosis are reported each year in Minnesota.