Eighty Bostonian students sick with norovirus after eating at Chipotle

The stock dropped 2.9% on December 8 alone in the wake of a report from Boston College officials that 80 out of 80 students who have what appears to be norovirus reported eating at Chipotle before becoming sick.

"Several BC students and student-athletes, including members of the BC men's basketball team, have reported to BC Health Services complaining of gastrointestinal symptoms", according to a statement from the college.

The Boston Public Health Commission has said that it received reports regarding multiple cases of gastrointestinal illness among people who had dined at the Chipotle Mexican Grill branch in Cleveland Circle.

Chipotle said it was working with local officials to sanitize the Boston franchise and to test all employees for the norovirus.

"Initial testing conducted by the state public health has shown the presence of norovirus", the health department said in a statement.

Final test results were expected to take a couple of days.

The city said the restaurant has not had any major violations since 2008. According to the CDC, there are approximately 20 million cases a year, making them the leading cause of gastroenteritis in the U.S, in part because they are so easily transmitted from person to person through contact, on surface areas, or through food or drink.

In August, Norovirus was blamed for sickening almost 100 people at a Chipotle restaurant in Simi Valley, California. It is very contagious and can spread quickly in places such as daycare centers and cruise ships.

Norovirus is the most common cause of foodborne-disease outbreaks in the United States.

The students reported severe stomachache, vomiting and diarrhea. An employee also worked while showing signs of illness, prompting the closure amid the outbreak. MA health officials are investigating whether the 30 students were affected by E.coli.Chipotle has come under scrutiny after being linked to an E.coli outbreak in nine other states. "There are no confirmed cases of E. coli connected to Chipotle in MA".