McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers are being linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has sickened practically 50 folks in 10 states, killing one particular person, federal well being officers mentioned Tuesday. 

Most sick folks reported consuming Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s, and investigators are working to substantiate which meals ingredient is contaminated, in accordance with the U.S. Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention. 

A complete of 49 instances have been reported up to now. A lot of the diseases occurred in Colorado and Nebraska, with 26 sickened within the former and 9 stricken within the latter, the CDC said. Of the 26 who fell unwell in Colorado, an older grownup died, the CDC mentioned. Well being officers in Utah and Wyoming every reported 4 diseases. Different states reporting diseases embody Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon and Wisconsin.  

At the least 10 folks have been hospitalized. The diseases started on the finish of September, and the latest incident occurred as of Oct. 11. 

One other particular person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a critical situation that may trigger kidney failure, in accordance with the CDC. The one that died will not be the identical particular person with HUS.  

“Preliminary findings from the investigation point out {that a} subset of diseases could also be linked to slivered onions used within the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single provider that serves three distribution facilities,” Cesar Piña, the corporate’s North America chief provide chain officer, mentioned in a press release. 

McDonald’s eradicating Quarter Pounder

The corporate mentioned it’s eradicating the Quarter Pounder from eating places within the impacted space, together with Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, in addition to parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. 

McDonald’s is cooperating with federal and state public well being officers and has stopped utilizing recent slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in a number of states, the place the product will quickly be unavailable, the CDC said. 

Quarter pound beef patties are solely used on Quarter Pounders, and recent slivered onions are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and never different menu objects, the CDC mentioned.

It normally takes three to 4 weeks to find out if a sick particular person is a part of an outbreak. Most individuals contaminated with the toxin-producing E. coli expertise extreme abdomen cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Most get better with out therapy after 5 to seven days.

Individuals are suggested to name their well being care supplier in the event that they ate a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and have extreme E. coli signs, as follows: 

• Diarrhea and a fever increased than 102°F
  – Diarrhea for greater than 3 days that isn’t bettering
  – Bloody diarrhea
• A lot vomiting that you simply can’t hold liquids down
• Indicators of dehydration, corresponding to:
  – Decreased urination
  – Dry mouth and throat
  – Feeling dizzy when standing up

Shares of McDonald’s fell sharply in after-hours buying and selling, recently down 7%. 

The outbreak will not be the primary to be linked to the Golden Arches. In 2018, an outbreak of intestinal sickness linked to salads from McDonald’s sickened greater than 500 folks in additional than a dozen states.