### E. Coli Outbreak Linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders Investigated by CDC

Health officials are currently probing an E. coli outbreak allegedly tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders, as disclosed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Tuesday. The specific ingredient causing the illness remains unidentified, but slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties, used exclusively in Quarter Pounders, are under scrutiny.

The outbreak has affected at least 49 individuals across 10 different states. Tragically, the outbreak has resulted in the death of one elderly individual in Colorado. Additionally, ten people have been hospitalized, including a child who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious kidney condition.

McDonald's is actively cooperating with health authorities and has discontinued the use of slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties in multiple states as a precautionary measure. An official statement from McDonald's on Tuesday afternoon indicated that preliminary findings suggest the slivered onions, provided by a single supplier servicing three distribution centers, might be linked to some of the reported illnesses.

“This is a fast-moving outbreak,” said Matt Wise, chief of the CDC's Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch. The outbreak's initial case emerged on September 27, with Colorado state health officials notifying the CDC about an unusual spike in E. coli cases by October 10. The CDC commenced its investigation on October 15.

Despite the low current risk to the public following McDonald's decision to pull Quarter Pounders from its menus in the affected states, Wise anticipates additional illnesses might still surface. He mentioned the time lag between new infections and their reporting, noting that it typically takes 3 to 4 weeks to confirm if a sick individual is part of an outbreak.

The symptoms of E. coli infection include a high fever above 102 degrees, severe stomach cramps, diarrhea, and vomiting. Sixteen of the infected individuals reported they had eaten at McDonald's prior to falling ill, with twelve specifically recalling consuming a Quarter Pounder.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is hastily working to verify if the slivered onions were distributed or sold to other establishments. Notably, diced onions used in other McDonald's products are not linked to the outbreak.

The Department of Agriculture is also assisting the CDC and state health officials with the investigation. Predominantly, cases have been reported in Colorado (27 cases) and Nebraska (9 cases), with other instances occurring in Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming.