McDonald’s E. coli outbreak: 1 dead, 10 hospitalized across 10 U.S. states

McDonald's said initial findings from the investigation have traced some of the 49 reported infections to slivered onions from a single supplier.

Ten people have been hospitalized and one person has died after E. coli infections linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger in 10 states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control said on Tuesday.

The death was reported in an older person in Colorado, and one child has been hospitalized with severe kidney complications, the CDC reported.

Forty nine people from 10 states have fallen sick from the same strain of E. coli, the CDC said. Most sick people are from Colorado or Nebraska.

Everyone interviewed in connection with the outbreak had reported eating at McDonald’s before falling ill and most mentioned eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers, the CDC said. The U.S. Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration and state health officials are also investigating.

Cesar Piña, McDonald’s North American chief supply chain officer, said in an online statement that initial findings from the investigation have traced a subset of the infections to slivered onions “sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.”

Out of an abundance of caution, Piña said, McDonald’s has removed the quarter pounder hamburgers from its menus in the affected area, which includes Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

Distribution of all slivered onions in the area has been paused and all local restaurants have been instructed to remove the product from their supply, he added.

McDonald’s USA president Joe Erlinger said in a video statement all other beef products are unaffected.