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At least 49 people reported falling ill, including ten who were hospitalized and one who died, after eating McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said in an alert issued Tuesday, Oct. 22.
Authorities have not yet identified which specific ingredient is contaminated, prompting McDonald’s to halt sales of Quarter Pounders as well as fresh slivered onions in several states.
The 49 people sickened by the E. coli outbreak all live west of the Mississippi River, with the majority of cases reported in Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Nebraska. No cases had been confirmed in the Northeast as of Tuesday evening.
“This is a fast-moving outbreak investigation,” the CDC said in a statement. “Investigators are working to confirm which ingredient in these hamburgers is making people sick and if it went to other restaurants or stores.”
The CDC advised anyone who ate at McDonald’s and developed severe symptoms of E. coli infection to contact their healthcare provider. Symptoms include:
- 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: Not peeing much, dry mouth and throat, and feeling dizzy when standing up
E. coli stands for Escherichia coli, bacteria that normally live in the intestines of health people and animals.
Most types of E. coli are harmless or cause relatively brief diarrhea, according to Mayo Clinic. However, a few strains can cause severe stomach cramps, bloody diarrhea, and vomiting.
This is a developing story. Check back to Daily Voice for updates.
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