McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers are linked to an E. coli outbreak that has sickened nearly 50 people in 10 states, federal health officials said Tuesday.
Most of the sick people said they ate McDonald’s quarter pounders, and investigators are working to confirm which food item was contaminated. to do US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
A total of 49 cases have been reported so far. Most of the illnesses occurred in Colorado and Nebraska, with 26 people sickened in the former and nine in the latter, according to the CDC. Of the 26 people sickened in Colorado, one elderly adult has died, according to the CDC. Health officials in Utah and Wyoming reported four cases each. Other states reporting illnesses include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon and Wisconsin.
At least 10 people have been hospitalized. The illnesses began in late September, with the most recent incident occurring on October 11.
Another person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that causes kidney failure, according to the CDC. The deceased did not have HUS.
“A subset of diseases can be linked to onions used in the quarter pounder and acquired through one supplier serving three distribution centers,” said Cesar Pina, the company’s North American chief supply chain officer. A statement.
McDonald’s is eliminating the foot pounder
The company said it is removing the quarter pounder from restaurants in the affected area, which includes Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
McDonald’s is cooperating with federal and state public health officials and has stopped serving fresh onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states where the product is temporarily unavailable, the CDC said.
Quarter-pound beef patties are used only in quarter-pounders, and fresh onions are primarily used in quarter-pounder hamburgers, not other menu items, according to the CDC.
It usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak. Most people infected with toxigenic E. coli experience severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Most people recover without treatment after five to seven days.
People are advised to call their health care provider if they eat a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and develop severe E. coli symptoms, including:
- Diarrhea and fever over 102°F
– Diarrhea not cured for more than 3 days
– Bloody diarrhoea - Vomiting so much that you can’t keep fluids down
- Symptoms of dehydration include:
– Diminished urination
– Dry mouth and throat
– Vertigo on standing up
Shares of McDonald’s fell sharply in after-hours trading, recently down 7%.
The eruption is not the first incident linked to the Golden Arches. In 2018, an explosion Intestinal disease More than 500 people in a dozen states became ill after being linked to McDonald’s salads.
