Amid the deadly E. coli outbreak that killed one person and sickened at least 49 across 10 states, McDonald’s said the customers should feel confident ordering from its outlets. The outbreak was linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers and a preliminary investigation by the US Food and Drug Administration said fresh onions that were served raw on those were a likely source of contamination.
McDonald’s said it’s been working closely with the regulators and is searching for a new regional supplier for fresh onions. In one-fifth of its restaurants, Quarter Pounders have been removed from menus.
List of states affected
Colorado and Nebraska: The highest number of confirmed cases are reported here. At least 26 people have called ill in Colorado and the death has also been reported from here.
Nebraska has nine confirmed cases of E. coli, the second highest.
Wyoming and Utah each have four confirmed cases of E. coli.
Oregon, Montana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Missouri and Kansas each have one confirmed illness linked to E. coli.
What is E coli and what are its symptoms?
E. coli is a bacteria harbored in the guts of animals and also found in the environment including water and food. There are many kinds of harmless E. coli, but a few types can make people seriously ill. The McDonald’s outbreak is caused by E. coli O157:H7, which produces a toxin that causes dangerous diarrhea and can lead to kidney failure and other serious problems, according to the CDC.
The symptoms are severe illness, including fever, stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. E. coli has an incubation period of only a couple of days so the symptoms start showing quickly. “If you ate these burgers in September and now it’s the middle of October and you didn’t get sick, you’re probably OK,” food safety expert at Rutgers University Donald Schaffner said.
