One Dead in E. Coli Outbreak Linked to Popular McDonald’s Item

At least one person is dead and 10 have been hospitalized following an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's beloved Quarter Pounders.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched an investigation into the phenomenon on Oct. 22. "This is a fast-moving outbreak investigation," the agency said in a statement. "Most sick people are reporting eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers from McDonald’s and investigators are working quickly to confirm which food ingredient is contaminated. McDonald’s has pulled ingredients for these burgers, and they won’t be available for sale in some states."

According to the CDC, McDonald's has stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in several states while the investigation is ongoing to help narrow down and identify the ingredient that has caused the disease outbreak. So far, 49 cases in 10 states have been linked to the situation. More than half of the cases—26 of the 49—are in Colorado. Nebraska has nine patients and Wyoming and Utah each have four patients. Oregon, Montana, Wisconsin, Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri each have one case so far.

If you ate a McDonald's Quarter Pounder burger recently, monitor your symptoms and call your healthcare provider if you begin exhibiting signs of E. coli infection. This could include diarrhea that persists for days, constant vomiting, and signs of dehydration.