Boston College has said that over 120 of its students have now reported gastrointestinal illnesses, and all of them ate at a Chipotle near their campus.
Dr. Thomas Nary, director of university health services, announced Wednesday that the symptoms are consistent with norovirus.
A spokeswoman for the Boston Public Health Commission said the illnesses were likely caused by norovirus, but final test results aren’t expected for a couple of days.
The illnesses led to the temporary closure of the restaurant in the city’s Cleveland Circle neighborhood. City officials said a restaurant employee was sick during a shift last week.
A spokesman for Denver-based Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. has said the Boston College illnesses are likely an isolated case of norovirus and unrelated to the E. coli cases that have turned up in other nine states.
The college initially said that 30 students had fallen ill at the weekend, but the number quickly rose, ABC News reported.
People can get norovirus from an infected person, contaminated food or water, or by touching contaminated surfaces, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Each year, it causes 19million to 21million illnesses.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said late last week the outbreak of E. coli tied to Chipotle has sickened 52 people in nine states so far.
Read More: Norovirus strikes 120 Boston College students who ate at Chipotle
