At least 75 sick as deadly E. Coli outbreak at McDonald’s spreads

A deadly outbreak of E. coli poisoning linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has spread, sickening at least 75 people in 13 states, federal health officials said Friday.

Twenty-two people have been hospitalized, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. Two people developed a dangerous complication of kidney disease and one person died.

No source of the outbreak has been identified, U.S. Food and Drug Administration officials said. But researchers have focused on chopped onions used on the burgers, as well as beef patties.

McDonald’s officials have said that a California-based produce grower, Taylor Farms, supplied yellow onions that have been recalled due to possible E. coli contamination. McDonald’s removed the burger from menus in several states on Tuesday when the outbreak was announced.

Everyone interviewed in connection with the outbreak had reported eating at McDonald’s before becoming ill and most mentioned eating Quarter Pounder burgers, the CDC said. The U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials are also investigating.

E. coli bacteria reside in the intestines of animals and are found in the environment. Infections can cause serious illness, including fever, stomach cramps and bloody diarrhea. People who develop symptoms of E. coli poisoning should seek health care immediately and tell the provider what they ate.

The news comes in an already difficult year for the Chicago-based McDonald’s chain. Global same-store sales fell in the second quarter for the first time in nearly four years as inflation-weary customers avoided dining out or chose cheaper options. The company responded with a $5 meal deal, which launched at U.S. restaurants in late June and was recently extended through December. The deal does not include the Quarter Pounder.

Shares of McDonald’s fell 9% in after-hours trading on Tuesday after the CDC announcement.

The type of bacteria involved in this outbreak, E. coli O157:H7, causes approximately 74,000 infections in the U.S. each year, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths. Infections are especially dangerous for children under 5 years old and can cause acute kidney failure.