McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers are being linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has sickened nearly 50 people in 10 states, killing one person, federal health officials said Tuesday.
Most sick people reported eating Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s, and investigators are working to confirm which food ingredient is contaminated, according to the U.S. 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 sickened in the former and nine stricken in the latter, the CDC stated. Of the 26 sickened in Colorado, an older adult died, the CDC said.
Another person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. The person who died is not the same same person with HUS.
At least 10 people have been hospitalized.
Nine people were reported ill in the outbreak in Nebraska, while Utah and Wyoming reported four illnesses a piece. Other states reporting illnesses include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon and Wisconsin.
In a statement McDonald’s posted to its website, Cesar Piña, the company’s North America chief supply chain officer, said that “initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.”
McDonald’s is cooperating with federal and state public health officials and has stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in several states, where the product will temporarily be unavailable, the CDC stated.
Quarter pound beef patties are only used on Quarter Pounders and fresh slivered onions are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and not other menu items, the CDC said.
The illnesses began at the end of September and the most recent occurred as of Oct. 11.
It usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak. Most people infected with the toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach crams, diarrhea and vomiting. Most recover without treatment after 5 to 7 days.
People are advised to call their health care provider if they ate a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and have severe E. coli symptoms: