A recent E. coli outbreak associated with McDonald's Quarter Pounders has escalated, with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reporting a total of 104 confirmed cases across the United States. The source of the bacterial infection has been identified as slivered onions from the fast-food chain’s burgers, as indicated both by the CDC and by McDonald's. Among the affected, 34 individuals have been hospitalized and one has succumbed to the illness, according to NBC News.
North Carolina has now been added to the list of states impacted by this multi-state outbreak, with at least one resident falling ill in the recent count. Despite the rising numbers, McDonald's has confirmed that its locations in the state are not connected to the distribution of the contaminated onions, with a spokesperson specifying, as reported by WBTV, that the CDC determines cases by patients' home states not necessarily where the contaminated food was ingested. This distinction has heightened the complexity of tracing the exact source of individual infections, potentially involving interstate travel.
The outbreak was first acknowledged in October, with cases dating back to September. The CDC has been actively investigating since then, focusing on the contaminated food product. The affected onions were supplied by California-based Taylor Farms and were recalled on October 22. The fast-food giant has since resumed selling the quintessential burger topping by switching to a different onion supplier, and as stated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there no longer appears to be a current food safety concern, according to WCNC.
The outbreak has a wider footprint than initially known, spreading across fourteen states with varying number of cases. Colorado endures as the hardest hit with 30 reported cases, followed by Montana with 19, and Nebraska tallying 13. Hospitalization has emerged as a requirement for 34 of the afflicted, with four developing hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a type of kidney failure, as detailed by the FDA and reported by NBC News. The CDC continues to urge individuals who believe they may have contracted the illness to report their symptoms to local health authorities in helping to mitigate the spread and provide a more accurate measure of the outbreak's impact.
