Chipotle Shares Tumble Following Norovirus Outbreak At Billerica Restaurant

Investors in the Mexican fast food chain Chipotle may be feeling queasy on this week, after stock prices tumbled more than six percent following the news of yet another incident of illness at one of their locations apparently caused by the mishandling of food.

According to a statement to WHDH news, Chipotle provided on Wednesday, a restaurant in Billerica, Mass. was temporarily shuttered the previous day after several employees were reportedly stricken with norovirus.

 "We closed the restaurant on Tuesday after four of our employees, none of whom worked while sick, called to say they were at home and not feeling well," the statement read.

"The health department has no reports of customer illness at this restaurant."

Chipotle spokesman Chris Arnold told the Washington Post, echoed the sentiment, claiming the Billerica location was as spotless as it was when health inspectors were there for an inspection last week.

"[The result of lab test at the Billerica restaurant] was consistent with the perfect health inspection score of 100 percent this restaurant received less than a week ago, on March 3," Arnold said. "There are no confirmed customer illnesses connected to this incident."

But coming on the heels of a six-month struggle with food safety issues which led to the shuttering of over 40 different Chipotles in Oregon and Washington.

"The publicity around this news announcement will be another negative data-point that may affect consumer demand," CRT Capital analyst Lynne Collier wrote of the incident in a client note, according to the news agency Reuters.

But according to Billerica Public Health Director Richard Berube, it could have been much forse for the company any their customer, had the food workers not done the right thing. Standing before the shuttered fast food establishment, he told the crowd of reporters to count their blessings.

"They called in sick, so that was very fortunate," he said.