1 Person Dead, 49 Sickened From McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. coli Outbreak
A person is dead, 49 were reported sick and 10 were hospitalized after health officials tracked and connected an E. coli outbreak to McDonald’s quarter pounders.
“McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers are making people sick, with most illnesses in Colorado and Nebraska,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stated.
Although the CDC said that it’s not known which exact ingredients were contaminated, McDonald’s has stopped using quarter pounder patties and onion slivers in a few states.
The McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. coli Outbreak Affects Nevada
There have been no reports of E. coli infections in Nevada. However, the CDC did report that McDonald’s locations in Nevada have stopped using slivered onions — which are primarily found in the Quarter Pounder — and they’ve stopped using the Quarter Pounder patty.
Other states that halted the use of the quarter pounder patty and the slivered onions include Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, the CDC states.
Data from the CDC illustrates the majority of those infected were in Colorado with 26 reported cases of E. coli infections. There was also one death in Colorado from an older adult.
Nebraska had nine cases of E. coli, Wyoming had four cases, and Utah had four cases. Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon and Wisconsin have all reported one case of E. coli infection.
The actual number of infections is most likely higher. This is because many people recover without medical care.
“Investigators are working to determine if the slivered onions or beef patties in Quarter Pounder burgers are the specific source of this outbreak,” the CDC said. “Preliminary traceback and distribution information reviewed by FDA shows that slivered onions served on Quarter Pounders are a likely source of contamination.”
According to the Washington State Department of Health E. coli bacteria lives in the intestines of human and animals.
“Although most strains are harmless, some can cause illness by making a toxin called Shiga toxin. The bacteria that make these toxins are called “Shiga toxin-producing” E. coli, or STEC for short,” The Washington Health Department States.
People usually contract the E. coli infection by eating undercooked or raw beef, drinking raw cow milk, drinking unpasteurized juice or cider, eating raw produce or other “ready-to-eat foods” that were contaminated by animal manure, raw meat juices, etc.
Symptoms of E. coli infection include stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting. The CDC said that symptoms begin 3-to-4 days after ingesting the bacteria.
