TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — The McDonald’s Quarter Pounder has been linked to an E. coli outbreak across 10 states in which one person has died, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The outbreak was reported across Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, Nebraska, Oregon, Kansas, Missouri, Iowa, and Wisconsin, according to the CDC. In total, nearly 50 people have reported illness, and most said they ate a Quarter Pounder before becoming sick.
Colorado had the most reports of illness (26) with Nebraska at a distant second (9). The death was an older individual in Colorado, the CDC said. In total, 10 people were hospitalized, and another person got hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to kidney failure.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” the CDC wrote. “This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli.”
The CDC said McDonald’s is working with investigators to determine what ingredient led to the outbreak. The restaurant has stopped using slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in several states during the investigation.
Symptoms of E. coli include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting, according to the CDC. Symptoms usually begin three to four days after eating the bacteria, and most people recover without treatment in five to seven days.