At least 75 people sickened as deadly McDonald’s E. coli outbreak spreads

By JONEL ALECCIA – AP Health Writer

(AP) — 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.

A total of 22 people have now been hospitalized, and two have developed a dangerous complication of the kidney disease, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. One person died in Colorado.

No definitive source of the outbreak has been identified, US Food and Drug Administration officials said. Early information reviewed by the FDA showed that uncooked chopped onions used on the burgers “is a likely source of contamination,” the agency said.

McDonald’s confirmed that Taylor Farms, a produce company in California, was the supplier of fresh onions used in the restaurants involved in the outbreak, and that it came from a facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

“We have made the decision to stop sourcing onions from the Taylor Farms facility in Colorado Springs indefinitely,” McDonald’s said in a statement released Friday evening.

Taylor Farms said Friday it has preemptively recalled yellow onions sent to customers from its Colorado facility and continues to work with the CDC and FDA as they investigate.
“We are saddened to see the illnesses and the individuals and families affected” by the outbreak, the family-owned company said.

McDonald’s pulled the Quarter Pounder burger from menus in several states — mostly in the Midwest and Mountain states — when the outbreak was announced Tuesday. McDonald’s said Friday that chopped onions from the Colorado Springs facility were distributed to about 900 of its restaurants, including some in transportation hubs such as airports.

The new cases reported on Friday were a sharp increase from the initial count of 49 in 10 states. The most illnesses were reported in Colorado, with 26 cases. At least 13 people have become ill in Montana, 11 in Nebraska, five each in New Mexico and Utah, four each in Missouri and Wyoming, two in Michigan and one each in Iowa, Kansas, Oregon, Wisconsin and Washington, the CDC reported .

McDonald’s said Friday that it has not pulled the Quarter Pounder from other restaurants because of the CDC’s increased number of illnesses. The company noted that some cases in states outside the original region were travel-related.

The CDC said some people who got sick reported traveling to other states before symptoms started. At least three people said they ate at McDonald’s during their trip. The illnesses were reported between September 27 and October 11.

Taylor Farms notified its customers directly about the onion recall but did not tell the public about it, an FDA official said. Companies often issue press releases, and the FDA sends out public notices for recalls, but these are not mandatory.

While it remains unclear whether the recalled onions were the source of the outbreak, several other fast-food restaurants — including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC and Burger King — pulled onions from some menus in certain areas this week.

Restaurant Brands International, which owns Burger King, said 5 percent of its restaurants use whole onions distributed by its Taylor Farms unit in Colorado. They are washed, peeled and sliced ​​by the employees.

Even though it was not contacted by health officials and had no signs of illness, Restaurant Brands said it has asked restaurants that received onions from the Colorado facility to get rid of them.

The outbreak involves infections with E. coli 0157:H7, a type of bacteria that produces a dangerous toxin. It causes about 74,000 infections in the U.S. annually, leading to more than 2,000 hospitalizations and 61 deaths each year, according to the CDC.

People sickened by the outbreak have already moved to sue McDonald’s, according to court filings. According to her lawsuit, Clarissa DeBock ate food at a local McDonald’s in Nebraska on September 18, became ill on September 23 and sought emergency care two days later before being diagnosed with an E. coli infection.

Symptoms of E. coli poisoning can appear quickly, within a day or two of eating the contaminated food. These usually include fever, vomiting, diarrhea or bloody diarrhea and signs of dehydration – little or no peeing, increased thirst and dizziness. The infection is especially dangerous for children under 5 years old, the elderly, pregnant people or those with a weakened immune system.

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AP business reporter Dee-Ann Durbin contributed reporting from Detroit.
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The Associated Press Department of Health and Science receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Educational and Science Media Group. AP is solely responsible for all content.

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