Thirty-four hospitalized. One dead. At least 104 sick in 14 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tied those numbers to slivered onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders.
The CDC first warned the public on Oct. 22, calling it a “severe” multi-state outbreak of E. coli O157:H7 infections. That day’s count was 49 cases in 10 states, with 10 people in the hospital. The latest figures show the case total more than doubled, and the agency said “the true number of sick people is likely much higher.”
Who got sick, and where
Colorado reported the most cases, followed by Montana, Nebraska and New Mexico. The one death was an older adult in Colorado. Patients range in age from 1 to 88, and four have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure.
Illnesses began between Sept. 12, 2024 and Oct. 21, 2024. A McDonald’s spokesperson said the Taylor Farms onions reached restaurants in Colorado, Kansas and parts of some nearby states. Cases elsewhere were probably traced to the chain’s airport locations. The CDC added that “the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses.”
The onions
Many people interviewed by investigators said they had eaten something topped with slivered onions. The CDC linked those onions to a single source, Taylor Farms, a California-based producer with distribution facilities across the country. McDonald’s has stopped buying onions from the company. On the day of the CDC announcement, Taylor Farms said it was recalling whole and diced yellow onions “due to potential E. coli contamination.”
Taco Bell, Burger King, KFC and Pizza Hut pulled fresh onions from select locations, according to a spokesperson for Taylor Farms’ parent company, YUM! Brands. No new cases have been connected to those restaurants.
The beef patties were ruled out. Quarter Pounders are back on the menu at roughly 900 locations where they had been removed, and restaurants that used the implicated supplier now get onions from a different one. The CDC says the current risk to the public is low.
More cases expected
Linking one person’s illness to an outbreak can take three to four weeks, the CDC said, so recent cases may not be counted yet. Dr. Matthew Wise, chief of the CDC’s outbreak response and prevention branch, told TODAY on Oct. 24: “We do expect the number of illnesses to go up.” He said the increase would come from people who ate Quarter Pounders “before they took these actions.”
Lawsuits have already been filed against McDonald’s. One plaintiff, Clarissa DeBock, 33, of Nebraska, told NBC News she tested positive for E. coli after an emergency room visit for severe gastrointestinal symptoms, which she blames on a Quarter Pounder she ate the week before. She called her symptoms “miserable” and is seeking payment for medical bills, lost wages, and physical and emotional suffering.
McDonald’s declined to discuss the litigation. “Hearing reports like this is devastating to us,” a spokesperson said. McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger said on TODAY on Oct. 23: “We are very confident that you can go to McDonald’s and enjoy our classics.”
The FDA said in a Nov. 13 update that there no longer appeared to be a continued food safety concern tied to the outbreak at McDonald’s restaurants.
What to watch for
Symptoms of E. coli O157:H7 include bloody diarrhea, severe stomach cramps and vomiting. They usually start three to four days after exposure, though the range runs from one to 10 days. Most people recover within a week with fluids and rest. The CDC urges anyone who recently ate a Quarter Pounder and has severe symptoms to call a health care provider. Dehydration, severe vomiting, bloody stools or a fever over 102 degrees Fahrenheit call for immediate medical attention.
Sources
Sources
- McDonald's E. Coli Outbreak States Affected: Full List & Map
- McDonald’s Quarter Pounder E. coli outbreak: 104 people sickened
