Some strains of E. coli bacteria (such as a strain called O157:H7) may also cause severe anemia or kidney failure, which can lead to death. Other strains of E. coli can cause urinary tract infections or other infections. The number of E. coli food-poisoning cases linked to Chipotle restaurants in the Northwest continues to rise, with 29 cases in Washington. The count dropped from 12 to 10, in Oregon, however, for a total of 39 confirmed in the outbreak, health officials reported Wednesday. Forty-three restaurants operated by the Mexican fast-food chain remain closed in the two states as regional health officials scramble to identify the genetic fingerprint of specific cases and federal officials designate outbreak-response teams to help. So far, many of the cases appear to be caused by E. coli O26, a strain that produces Shiga toxins that can cause serious illness. Tests from eight ill people — five from Washington and three from Oregon — indicate they all were infected by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli O26 width the same DNA fingerprint, according to a report posted late Wednesday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). …show more content…
Chipotle will conduct deep-cleaning and environmental testing in its restaurants and distribution centers, along with testing ingredients before resupplying, the firm said in a news release. It wasn’t clear whether the company would release those test results. In addition, Chipotle has hired food-safety consulting firms to help identify and halt the