The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced on Friday that the number of people infected by the E coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s quarter pounder hamburgers has risen to 75, signaling an escalation in the food poisoning outbreak affecting the US west and midwest.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned that the actual number of people sickened by the bacterial illness is likely much higher than reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known cases.
The update comes after a previous government report indicating that the infections had killed one person, sickened 49, and hospitalized 10 across the US. The outbreak first emerged in Colorado and has primarily affected the west and midwest regions.
On Thursday, fresh onions were identified as the possible source of the deadly bacteria, rather than the burger meat. The FDA reported that 22 out of the 61 people for whom information was available had been hospitalized, with two developing hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure.
The E coli strain responsible for the death of one person is said to cause “very serious disease,” particularly among the elderly, children, and those with compromised immune systems.
Initial findings by the FDA and McDonald’s showed that slivered onions used in the quarter pounder, supplied by Taylor Farms to three distribution centers, were the likely source of the outbreak. Taylor Farms has recalled several batches of yellow onions produced in its Colorado facility, and McDonald’s has initiated a voluntary recall.
McDonald’s has removed the quarter pounder from its menu at locations in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, accounting for a fifth of its 14,000 US restaurants. The company’s shares were down 2% on Friday morning.
The CDC emphasized that the risk to the public is very low due to the actions taken by McDonald’s and Taylor Farms. However, other restaurant chains, including KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Burger King, have also removed onions from their menus as a precautionary measure.
The E coli illnesses linked to the McDonald’s items started on dates ranging from September 27 to October 10.
