At least 75 people are sickened as the deadly McDonald’s E. coli outbreak expands
A deadly outbreak of E. coli poisoning tied to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders has expanded, with at least 75 people sick in 13 states, federal health officials said Friday.
A total of 22 people have now been hospitalized, and two have developed a dangerous kidney disease complication, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. One person has died in Colorado.
No definitive source of the outbreak has been identified, officials with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said. Early information analyzed by the FDA showed that uncooked slivered onions used on the burgers "are a likely source of contamination," the agency said.
McDonald's has confirmed that Taylor Farms, a California-based produce company, was the supplier of the fresh onions used in the restaurants involved in the outbreak, and that they had come from a facility in Colorado Springs, Colorado.