McDonald’s E. coli outbreak: 1 death, 10 hospitalized in 10 US states – National

Ten people have been hospitalized and one person has died after E. coli infections linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger in 10 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said Tuesday.

Death was reported in an elderly person in Colorado, and one child was hospitalized with serious kidney complications, the CDC reported.

Forty-nine people from 10 states have been sickened by the same strain of E. coli, the CDC said. Most of the sick people come from Colorado or Nebraska.

Everyone interviewed in connection with the outbreak had reported eating at McDonald’s before becoming ill and most mentioned eating Quarter Pounder burgers, the CDC said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials are also investigating.

Cesar Piña, Chief Supply Chain Officer of McDonald’s North America, said in an online statement that initial findings from the investigation showed that some of the infections were traced to sliced ​​onions “from a single supplier serving three distribution centers.”

Out of an abundance of caution, Piña said, McDonald’s has removed quarter pounder burgers from menus in the affected area, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

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Distribution of all chopped onions in the area has been halted and all local restaurants have been ordered to withdraw the product from their stocks, he added.

McDonald’s American president Joe Erlinger said this in a video statement all other beef products remain unaffected.

“I hope these steps demonstrate McDonald’s commitment to food safety,” he said.

Global News asked McDonald’s Canada if any affected ingredients have been removed from Canadian stores.

A Health Canada spokesperson referred Global News to the online list of active outbreak investigations, which does not report E. coli infections at McDonald’s restaurants in Canada.

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E. coli bacteria reside in the intestines of animals and are found in the environment. Infections can cause serious illness, including fever, stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea.

People who develop symptoms of E. coli poisoning should seek health care immediately and tell the provider what they ate.

The news comes in an already difficult year for the Chicago-based chain. Global same-store sales fell in the second quarter for the first time in nearly four years as inflation-weary customers avoided dining out or chose cheaper options. The company responded with a $5 meal deal, which launched at U.S. restaurants in late June and was recently extended through December. The deal does not include the Quarter Pounder.

Shares of McDonald’s fell 9% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the CDC announcement.

In 2015, burrito chain Chipotle saw its sales decline and its reputation hit due to E.coli outbreaks in several states.

The type of bacteria involved in this outbreak, E. coli O157:H7, causes approximately 74,000 infections in the U.S. each year, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths. Infections are especially dangerous for children under 5 years old and can cause acute kidney failure.

—With files from Associated Press and Global News