**McDonald's USA Chief Confident Amid E. coli Outbreak Linked to Quarter Pounders**

McDonald's USA President Joe Erlinger assured the public on Wednesday that the company can "restore confidence" as it deals with an E. coli outbreak connected to its Quarter Pounder burgers across various states. Speaking on NBC's "TODAY" show, Erlinger emphasized the company's prompt actions to remove the item from its menu and reassured customers about the safety of other offerings.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported that at least 49 individuals across 10 states have fallen ill due to the outbreak, with one elderly individual in Colorado succumbing to the infection. Additionally, 10 people have been hospitalized, including a child who developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a severe kidney condition. McDonald's has initiated collaboration with the CDC to find the source of the contamination.

Erlinger avoided commenting on whether other businesses might also be using the contaminated ingredients, but he expressed confidence that McDonald's would overcome this challenge and maintain customer trust. "Our founder famously said, 'If you take care of our customers, the business will take care of itself,'" he stated, emphasizing the company's focus on customer safety.

The primary suspects in the outbreak are slivered onions and quarter-pound beef patties, both key ingredients in the Quarter Pounder. While exact details of the contamination are still under investigation, McDonald's has already pulled the Quarter Pounder from affected states. It is worth noting that the outbreak originated on September 27 and the CDC began its investigation on October 15 after being alerted by Colorado health officials to an increase in E. coli cases.

Despite the health scare, many customers at McDonald's locations, such as the one in Denver, showed mixed reactions. Mike Railey, 51, expressed reservations about continuing to eat at McDonald's upon learning about the outbreak. In contrast, other patrons like Aaron Chapa, 22, and Yash Reddy, 24, felt assured by the company's response and chose to stay loyal while being mindful of their menu selections.

On Tuesday, McDonald's revealed preliminary investigation results suggesting that "a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers." Erlinger indicated that if there were any contaminated products in the supply chain, they likely have already cycled out of circulation.

As the CDC continues its examination, Erlinger stressed the importance of relying on scientific data to guide the company's response efforts. Although it's anticipated that more illnesses might emerge due to the lag in identifying cases, McDonald's remains committed to addressing the issue transparently and effectively.

The outbreak has particularly impacted Colorado, with 26 reported cases, and Nebraska, with nine. Other affected states include Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. This incidence has temporarily affected McDonald's financial performance, with the company's shares dropping about 7% in pre-market trading on Wednesday. Analysts have downgraded their rating of McDonald's stock pending further clarity on the situation.