The number of Americans who have become ill with E. coli linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders onions has increased to 75.
The number of infections linked to the mega-popular fast food chain has risen sharply since the last update on Oct. 22, when the CDC announced that 49 people had fallen ill.
One person has died while two fight a serious illness that can lead to kidney failure.
So far, 22 people have been hospitalized in 13 states, three more than reported a few days ago.
Investigations are still ongoing into the cause of the outbreak, linked to Quarter Pounders.
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McDonald’s has temporarily removed Quarter Pounder burgers from the menu in certain states due to a potential food safety issue.
The chain is replacing its supply of chopped onions and beef patties at locations in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
These adjustments are being made as investigators work to identify the source of contamination.
Currently, the affected ingredients (quarter-pound beef patties and fresh chopped onions) are primarily used for quarter-pounders and are not widely included in other menu items. Investigators are also examining whether the problem could affect other restaurants or stores.
The Quarter Pounder is one of its best sellers, selling around 1 million burgers at around $6.39 each in affected regions every fortnight.
According to the CDC: ‘The actual number of people sick in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to states with known disease. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli.’
Health officials are interviewing people about what they ate before they got sick. All 42 people interviewed said they ate at McDonald’s and 39 ate a beef burger.
Of the 36 who remember which burger they ate, 31 (86 percent) ate a quarter pounder. Some people had also traveled to other states before getting sick, and at least three ate at McDonald’s during their trips.
