McDonald’s Quarter Pounders Linked to E. Coli Outbreak After 1 Dead and 10 Hospitalized

McDonald’s is pulling ingredients from its Quarter Pounder in some states after an E. coli outbreak was traced back to the popular burger.

On Tuesday, Oct. 22, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) announced that it is investigating 49 illnesses that have been linked to the menu staple after one person died and 10 were hospitalized.

Along with the FDA, USDA FSIS and other public health officials, the CDC is looking into McDonald’s locations across 10 states, the organization said in a press release about the “fast-moving outbreak investigation.” Most of the illnesses were reported in Colorado and Nebraska, and a complete map of where the cases arose is available here.

The first of the 49 known cases was recorded on Sept. 27, and the most recent ones documented on Oct. 11. But the CDC notes that the “true number of sick people in this outbreak is also likely much higher than the number reported.”

McDonald's chief supply chain officer, Cesar Piña, shared an internal message on the brand's newsroom site. He states that the company is "taking swift and decisive action following" the outbreak.

"The 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," said Piña.

The fast food chain is collaborating with the CDC investigation, and Piña said that "all local restaurants have been instructed to remove this product from their supply and we have paused the distribution of all slivered onions in the impacted area."

In some states, the Quarter Pounder has been temporarily removed from the menu.

"We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do," said Piña.

"All other menu items, including other beef products (including the Cheeseburger, Hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble and the Double Cheeseburger) are unaffected and available," he added in part. "We will continue to work with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and are committed to providing timely updates as we restore our full menu."

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The CDC warns that symptoms of severe E. coli include diarrhea and a fever higher than 102°. Other symptoms include “so much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down” and signs of dehydration like not urinating much, dry mouth or a dry throat.

Symptoms usually start three to four days after eating a contaminated product, the organization notes. Most people recover without treatment after five days to a week.

If you experience any of the above symptoms after eating a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder, the CDC recommends contacting a healthcare provider.