- E. coli outbreak at McDonald's
- There has already been one death
- US authority investigates
The US CDC - the health authority - has issued a warning about an E. coli outbreak. This is associated with the McDonald's Burger Quarter Pounder.
Almost 50 cases of E. coli after McDonald's visit
At least 49 cases of the disease have been reported in ten states, including the death of an elderly person, as reported by CNN. Ten people had to be hospitalized, including a child with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious complication of E. coli infection. Most cases occurred in Colorado and Nebraska.
According to the CDC, most of those who became ill said they had eaten the McDonald's burger. The investigation, which is being conducted in cooperation with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), indicates that diced onions are a likely source of contamination.
McDonald's has since discontinued the use of these onions as well as the Quarter Pounder beef patties in several states while the investigation continues. These patties are used exclusively for the Quarter Pounder, as are the onions.
McDonald's said in a statement: "The 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. As a result, and in line with our safety protocols, all local restaurants have been instructed to remove this product from their supply and we have paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area."
Other menu offerings, including Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble and Double Cheeseburger, are not affected and remain available.
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The FDA has confirmed that McDonald's has removed the onions and patties from stores in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma. Quarter Pounder may be temporarily unavailable in other states. However, the CDC warns that the outbreak may extend beyond these states.
E. coli infections: These are the symptoms
People with E. coli infections can develop symptoms such as severe abdominal cramps, diarrhea, fever and vomiting. Symptoms usually appear three to four days after ingesting the bacteria. While most sufferers recover within a week without treatment, some may develop serious kidney problems and require hospital treatment.
In a further statement, McDonald's emphasized that "serving customers safely in every single restaurant, every day, is our top priority" and that the company will continue to work with the CDC on the investigation.
