McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers linked to deadly E. coli outbreak, CDC says

McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers are being linked to an outbreak of E. coli that has sickened nearly 50 people in 10 states, killing one person, federal health officials said Tuesday. 

Most sick people reported eating Quarter Pounders from McDonald’s, and investigators are working to confirm which food ingredient is contaminated, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. 

A total of 49 cases have been reported so far. Most of the illnesses occurred in Colorado and Nebraska, with 26 sickened in the former and nine stricken in the latter, the CDC stated. Of the 26 who fell ill in Colorado, an older adult died, the CDC said. Health officials in Utah and Wyoming each reported four illnesses. Other states reporting illnesses include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oregon and Wisconsin.  

At least 10 people have been hospitalized. The illnesses began at the end of September, and the most recent incident occurred as of Oct. 11. 

Another person developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can cause kidney failure, according to the CDC. The person who died is not the same person with HUS.  

“Initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers,” Cesar Piña, the company’s North America chief supply chain officer, said in a statement. 

McDonald’s removing Quarter Pounder

The company said it is removing the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in the impacted area, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. 

McDonald’s is cooperating with federal and state public health officials and has stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in several states, where the product will temporarily be unavailable, the CDC stated. 

Quarter pound beef patties are only used on Quarter Pounders, and fresh slivered onions are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and not other menu items, the CDC said.

It usually takes three to four weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak. Most people infected with the toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Most recover without treatment after five to seven days.

People are advised to call their health care provider if they ate a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder and have severe E. coli symptoms, as follows: 

• Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°F
  – Diarrhea for more than 3 days that is not improving
  – Bloody diarrhea
• So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
• Signs of dehydration, such as:
  – Reduced urination
  – Dry mouth and throat
  – Feeling dizzy when standing up

Shares of McDonald’s fell sharply in after-hours trading, lately down 7%. 

The outbreak is not the first to be linked to the Golden Arches. In 2018, an outbreak of intestinal illness linked to salads from McDonald’s sickened more than 500 people in more than a dozen states.