The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has issued a food safety alert in connection to an E.coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
On Tuesday, the CDC reported 49 illnesses in 10 states, including the death of an adult in Colorado linked to the burgers. Ten people have been hospitalized, including a child with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a potentially life-threatening condition that can develop from an E. coli infection.
Most people in the outbreak reported eating Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s before becoming sick but it is not known yet which ingredient is contaminated. The fast-food chain is assisting in the investigation, the CDC said.
Most of the illnesses have been reported in Colorado and Nebraska but there have also been cases in Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa and Wisconsin. No cases have been reported in Alabama, though the CDC pointed out the outbreak may not be limited to states with known illnesses and the true number of cases “is likely much higher than reported.”
Quarter Pounders won’t be available in some states and McDonald’s has stopped using slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states. The onions, the CDC said, are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and not other menu items.
In a statement, McDonald’s indicated onions may be linked to the illnesses, saying “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.”
“We will continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and are committed to providing timely updates as we restore our full menu,” the statement said.
People are advised to contact their healthcare provider if they ate a Quarter Pounder and then experienced diarrhea, especially bloody diarrhea, high fever, vomiting and signs of dehydration, such as lack of urination, dry mouth and throat or feeling dizzy.
Symptoms of E.coli typically appear 3-4 days after swallowing the bacteria. Most people recover in about a week but some people can develop serious kidney and other problems related to the infection.
