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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported on Friday (October 25) that 75 people across 13 states have fallen ill after consuming McDonald's Quarter Pounders contaminated with E. coli. One person in Colorado has died from the O157:H7 strain of E. coli. The CDC attributes the outbreak to slivered onions used in the burgers, a claim supported by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Of the 75 people who fell ill, 22 have been hospitalized, and two developed a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. The cases began occurring in late September and continued through October 10.
According to USA Today, public health officials interviewed 42 people who have gotten sick. They all said that they ate at McDonald's. Among those who remembered which specific burger they'd eaten, 31 said they had a Quarter Pounder.
Earlier this week, McDonald's pulled its Quarter Pounders and slivered onions from menus in several states. Taylor Farms, which supplied slivered onions for affected McDonald's locations, initiated a recall of yellow onions.
NBC News reports that McDonald's has removed the slivered onions and Quarter Pounder patties from its restaurants in at least 12 states, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. The CDC believes the risk to the public is now low due to these actions.
The FDA advises people who have eaten at McDonald's and have symptoms to contact their health providers. Symptoms typically begin three to four days after consuming food or beverages containing the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting.