McDonald’s Quarter Pounder outbreak: Burgers linked to E. coli outbreak, CDC says

An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has left one person dead and caused 10 hospitalizations, the CDC said Tuesday.

The big picture: There are 49 cases in 10 states, the CDC said in a food safety alert.

• Most illnesses are in Colorado and Nebraska, the alert said.

Zoom in: “This is a fast-moving outbreak investigation. Most sick people are reporting eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s and investigators are working quickly to confirm which food ingredient is contaminated,” the CDC’s alert said.

• “McDonald’s has pulled ingredients for these burgers, and they won’t be available for sale in some states,” the CDC said.
• “McDonald’s reported to CDC that it has stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in several states,” the CDC said.
• McDonald’s posted a statement on its website about the outbreak Tuesday and said it has “paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area.”

McDonald’s E. coli outbreak: States with illnesses

The CDC’s map shows where the 49 sick people in the outbreak are from.

• Colorado has 26 illnesses, while Nebraska has nine. Wyoming and Utah have four cases each, the CDC said.
• Oregon, Montana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas and Missouri each have one case, the map shows.

McDonald’s temporarily removes Quarter Pounder from some restaurants

What’s next: The restaurant chain is “temporarily removing the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in the impacted area,” Cesar Piña, McDonald’s North America chief supply chain officer, said in a statement.

• This includes locations in “Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.”
• “We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do,” Piña said. “Impacted restaurants are receiving a stock recovery notice today and should reach out to their field supply chain manager or distribution center with any questions.”

Yes, but: McDonald’s said its “other beef products (including the Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble and the Double Cheeseburger) are unaffected and available.”

E. coli symptoms

Threat level: Most people infected with Shiga toxin-producing E. coli experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, the CDC said.

• Symptoms usually start three to four days after “swallowing the bacteria” and most recover without treatment after five to seven days.
• The infection can lead to serious kidney problems and some people need to be hospitalized. It can also lead to kidney failure and death, the CDC said.
• Those most at risk include seniors, young children, pregnant women and anyone with a compromised immune system, said Teresa Murray, consumer watchdog for U.S. Public Interest Research Group (PIRG).

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Editor’s note: This story has been updated with additional information and a statement from McDonald’s.