Health officials are investigating an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders in multiple states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday. It’s not yet known which ingredient in the hamburger is making people sick.
At least 49 people in 10 states have been sickened. One person, an older adult in Colorado, has died.
Ten people have been hospitalized, including a child who developed a kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
McDonald’s is working with public health officials to determine what ingredient is contaminated with E. coli bacteria, according to the CDC. The fast-food chain has stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states, the CDC said.
McDonald’s released a statement Tuesday afternoon, saying that its “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 (CDC) and are committed to providing timely updates as we restore our full menu,” the statement read.
The first case occurred on Sept. 27. The CDC said that recent illnesses may not have been reported yet as “it usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
Symptoms of E. coli infection include high fever over 102 degrees, severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting.
Every patient interviewed so far said they’d eaten at McDonald’s before they got sick, specifically a Quarter Pounder hamburger, the CDC said. The Food and Drug Administration and Department of Agriculture are assisting the CDC and state health officials in the investigation.
Most of the cases, 27, have been reported in Colorado. Nebraska has reported nine patients.
Other cases are in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming.
