One person has died, and 10 people have been hospitalized due to an E. coli outbreak that has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders across more than 10 states. At least 49 people have fallen ill from the bacteria, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Most of the incidents have been in Colorado and Nebraska, and the CDC Outbreak Response and Prevention branch said it was carrying out a “fast-moving outbreak investigation” Tuesday.
All the burger ingredients have been pulled from the restaurants and will be unavailable in affected states. Quarter Pounder beef patties and slivered onions are being looked at by public health officials as possible contaminants. Other burgers on the menu remain available and unaffected.
Joe Erlinger, the president of McDonald’s USA, said Tuesday that the company is working alongside the CDC and will “take in more data” from the agency as the investigation continues.
“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,” Erlinger said. “We are very confident that you can go to McDonald’s and enjoy our classics. We took swift action yesterday to remove the Quarter Pounder from our menu. This was swift and decisive action by us.”
The first case happened on Sept. 27 in Colorado, prompting state officials to notify the CDC of multiple E. coli cases on Oct. 10. The agency began its investigation on Oct. 15, but it also said there could be more unreported cases as it “usually takes 3 to 4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.”
E. coli, or Escherichia coli, symptoms include high fevers, dehydration, vomiting, severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, dizziness, and dry mouth and throat. Symptoms “usually start 3 to 4 days after swallowing the bacteria.”
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Children, the elderly, and those with compromised immune systems are most at risk, and severe cases can be fatal. One of the hospitalizations was a child who developed a kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome.
The Colorado Department of Health has confirmed 26 cases, and Nebraska has reported nine. Other states affected are Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.