E Coli Outbreak Sickens Midwestern McDonalds Patrons; Kills One

KIOS | By Associated Press

Published October 24, 2024 at 5:35 AM CDT

A McDonald's Double Quarter Pounder is shown on March 6, 2018, in Atlanta. The fast-food chain says customers should feel confident ordering from its restaurants despite a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to its Quarter Pounder hamburgers.

Federal officials say E. coli food poisoning linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states. That includes one person who died and 10 who were hospitalized. It also includes a child hospitalized with severe kidney complications. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported the outbreak on Tuesday. It says infections were reported between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11. The CDC says everyone interviewed in connection with the outbreak had reported eating at McDonald’s before falling ill and most mentioned eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers. The specific ingredient tied to the outbreak has not been identified, but investigators are focused on onions and beef. Infections were reported in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin and Wyoming. Colorado has the most cases, 26, followed by Nebraska with nine.