### E. coli Outbreak Tied to McDonald's Quarter Pounders Sickens 49 Across 10 States

A concerning E. coli outbreak connected to McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers has impacted at least 49 individuals across 10 states, resulting in one death and 10 hospitalizations, according to federal health officials.

In response, McDonald's took prompt action on Tuesday by pulling Quarter Pounders from 20% of its restaurants across the U.S. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed this move as a necessary precaution to address the outbreak.

Initial findings from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) suggested that the contamination likely originated from fresh slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounders. McDonald's is also known to serve these onions on one of its breakfast sandwiches, but this particular sandwich has not been available in the affected locations. Other McDonald’s burgers, notably the Big Mac, incorporate diced, cooked onions and have not been linked to the outbreak.

To mitigate the situation, McDonald's is actively seeking a new regional supplier for fresh onions. Until then, Quarter Pounders were taken off the menu in various states, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah, and portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.

The news has left some customers uneasy. Adriean Madden, a 37-year-old frequent patron, hesitated during his usual visit to a McDonald's near Denver on Wednesday. Expressing his concerns, Madden stated that he was uncertain about how E. coli spreads and how it might contaminate other foods, urging McDonald's to provide more transparency on the matter.

AP correspondent Julie Walker reported on these developments as federal investigators continued to delve into the root cause of this alarming E. coli outbreak.