Chipotle founder and co-CEO Steve Ells said he is "deeply sorry" about the customers who became sick after eating at the chain over the last several weeks. He also announced that the restaurant is taking aggressive measures to avoid another situation.

During an interview on NBC's Today show on Thursday, Ells apologized to the dozens of people who were infected with norovirus or E. coli after eating at the popular burrito chain in recent weeks.

"I'm sorry for the people who got sick. They're having a tough time and I feel terrible about that," he said.

Ells also ensured patrons that the company is working to tighten food safety procedures to prevent another food virus outbreak from reoccuring in the future.

"This was a very unfortunate incident and I'm deeply sorry that this happened, but the procedures we're putting in place today are so above industry norms that we are going to be the safest place to eat," Ells said.

Ells' public apology was made on the same day that Boston College announced that the number of students who reported feeling ill after eating at a nearby Chipotle jumped from 120 to 141 students. School officials added that 12 of those students did not eat at the restaurant and, instead, caught the contagious disease from another person.

"We expect that number will continue to grow considering the highly contagious nature of the norovirus," said school spokesperson Jack Dunn, reports CBS News.

Norovirus is transmitted when someone eats contaminated food, or touches an infected surface and then puts their fingers in their mouth, reports Reuters.

News about a norovirus outbreak came just weeks after 52 people in nine states reported being infected by E. coli. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 47 of the sickened people reported having eaten at Chipotle.

However, Ells said that health experts have confirmed that changes enacted after the outbreak "will put us 10 to 15 years ahead of industry norms." He added, "I believe this will be the safest restaurant to eat at."