Federal health officials announced Friday that a recent deadly E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers has sickened at least 75 people in 13 states.
The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention confirmed one death related to the outbreak, as previously reported. At least 22 people were hospitalized and two developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious health problem that can lead to kidney failure. Health officials said the person who died was an elderly Colorado resident who did not develop HUS.
Federal health officials warned the public about the outbreak on Tuesday, and McDonald’s announced that it had opened several restaurants in the U.S., including Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana and Nebraska. The product was removed from approximately one-fifth of the company’s 13,000 stores. , Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
According to health authorities, the disease outbreak began on September 27 and the last reported case was October 10. The states with cases are:
Colorado Iowa Kansas Michigan Missouri Montana Nebraska New Mexico Oregon Utah Washington Wisconsin Wyoming
A McDonald’s spokesperson said McDonald’s sold about 1 million Quarter Pounders during the period of the illness outbreak, and that many more people would have gotten sick if the contamination had come from the patty itself. He added that the fast food chain is considering Hamburgers may be the culprit.
McDonald’s hamburgers are cooked at 175 degrees, above the 160 degrees required to kill E. coli, but the sliced onions remain raw, a spokesperson said.
“If that is the source, this would be the first time that onions have been a carrier of this strain of E. coli,” the spokesperson said.
California-based produce giant Taylor Farms, which supplies onions to affected McDonald’s restaurants, has begun recalling yellow onions produced at its Colorado facility.
McDonald’s reiterated in a statement Friday that it “has removed all shredded onions produced at this facility,” adding that it will no longer source onions from this facility.
“Due to widespread concerns and our unwavering commitment to food safety, we have made the decision to indefinitely suspend sourcing onions from Taylor Farms’ Colorado Springs facility,” McDonald’s said in a statement. “As a reminder, all other menu items, including other beef products (including cheeseburgers, hamburgers, Big Macs, Mac doubles and double cheeseburgers) are unaffected and available,” it added. Ta.
Of the people who told the CDC they felt sick after eating at McDonald’s, nearly all said they ate a beef hamburger, and most said it was a Quarter Pounder. Federal authorities said some of the victims had traveled to other states before becoming ill, and at least three had eaten at McDonald’s during their travels.
Investigators are still working to determine whether the shredded onions and beef patties in the hamburger were the source of the E. coli bacteria. Preliminary findings reviewed by the Food and Drug Administration indicate that onion slices are the likely source. The FDA is also investigating whether the onions were provided or sold by other companies.
A Taylor Farms spokesperson said: “As a family-owned business, we take pride in providing safe, healthy fresh food to people every day. Due to the current E. coli O157:H7 outbreak, “It’s sad to see the individuals and families who are sick and affected.” He spoke to CBS News via email, citing specific tensions behind the current spate of illnesses.
“Our thoughts and prayers go out to the affected individuals and their families. Our priority remains the health and safety of our consumers. “We pre-emptively recalled yellow onions from our Taylor Farms facility in Colorado that had been damaged in the process,” she added.
The company is working with the CDC and FDA to determine the course of the E. coli outbreak, a spokesperson said.
FDA investigating whether onions are source of E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s 01:40
Potential contamination has prompted Burger King, KFC, Taco Bell and other major fast food chains to remove raw onions from some locations, but restaurants insist there are no signs of illness. was.
E. coli symptoms
It usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is involved in an outbreak. People infected with toxin-producing E. coli experience severe abdominal pain, diarrhea, and vomiting, but most recover without treatment in 5 to 7 days.
If you eat a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and have serious E. coli symptoms, we recommend calling your health care provider.
Diarrhea and a fever above 102°F Diarrhea that does not improve for more than 3 days Bloody diarrhea Vomiting too much to keep fluids down Signs of dehydration: Signs of dehydration include: Decreased urination Mouth and thirst and feel dizzy when standing up
The health concerns about one of McDonald’s most popular menu items come as the fast food chain tries to attract consumers who are still smart about rising food prices. The company launched $5 worth of meals this summer to attract lower-income customers.
This is not the first time that a connection to the Golden Arches has been made. In 2018, an outbreak of enteric illnesses linked to McDonald’s salads sickened more than 500 people in more than a dozen states.
McDonald’s stock fell 2.5% on Friday and is down 1% for the year.
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