Chipotle Shares Down Sharply As E. Coli Outbreak Broadens

NEW YORK (AP) — Shares of Chipotle are down sharply before the opening bell after it was discovered that the E. coli outbreak connected to restaurant chain had spread from the Pacific Northwest to a number of other states.

In all, 45 people in six states have been affected, with 43 of those saying they ate at Chipotle the week before they became sick.

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The Denver company closed 43 restaurants in Oregon and Washington in late October after health officials discovered most of the people sickened in the outbreak had eaten at its restaurants. Those restaurants have since reopened, but new cases were announced Friday inCalifornia, New York, Ohio, and Minnesota.

Shares of Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc. fell 3.2 percent to $519.01 in premarket trading Monday.

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