A deadly E. coli outbreak linked to McDonaldThe Quarter Pounders have led to 75 cases in 13 states, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday because it investigated the source of the spread.
The outbreak has resulted in 22 hospitalizations and one previously reported death of an older adult in Colorado.
Of the 61 patients for whom information is obtainable, 22 were hospitalized and two people developed a serious condition that may result in kidney failure, called hemolytic uremic syndrome. All 42 people surveyed by the CDC said that they had eaten at McDonald's, while 39 people said that they had eaten a beef hamburger, the agency said.
According to the CDC, the individuals with infections ranged in age from 13 to 88. The agency reiterated that the variety of cases within the outbreak is probably going much higher than previously reported. The CDC added that the outbreak might not be limited to the states with corresponding cases. That's because many patients don't get tested for E. coli and recuperate from an infection without receiving medical care, the CDC said. Additionally, it typically takes three to 4 weeks to find out whether a sick person is a component of an outbreak.
Shares of the restaurant chain closed down 3% on Friday. The stock is down 7% for the reason that CDC announced Tuesday's outbreak initially reported 49 cases and one death in 10 states.
McDonald's declined to comment on the update, citing the corporate's statement when it first announced the outbreak.
Quarter Pounder hamburgers are a key menu item for McDonald's, bringing in billions of dollars annually.
Health officials are closely examining the onion slices utilized in Quarter Pounder as a possible contaminant. McDonald's has ordered restaurants within the affected region to remove sliced onions from their offerings and has stopped selling the ingredient within the region.
McDonald's locations in Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming and parts of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma have temporarily stopped using Quarter Pounder onion slices and beef patties, in keeping with the CDC.
McDonald's identified California-based food giant Taylor Farms as a supplier of the sliced onions that the corporate had faraway from its supply chain. Taylor Farms has issued a recall for 4 raw onion products attributable to possible E. coli contamination. Burger King, Pizza Hut, KFC and Taco Bell have removed onions from select restaurants in response to the outbreak.
But federal authorities are also investigating the Quarter Pounders beef patty as a possible offender.
As the CDC and other federal agencies track cases and work to contain the outbreak, McDonald's has pulled Quarter Pounders from restaurants in affected areas. About a fifth of McDonald's restaurants within the United States don’t sell Quarter Pounder burgers.
McDonald's spokespeople said Wednesday that it was too early to say whether the outbreak would have any impact on traffic to its restaurants.
The company is predicted to report its third-quarter results on Tuesday and will provide investors with more details in regards to the situation on the conference call.
The outbreak comes after several quarters of sluggish U.S. sales at McDonald's. Price-conscious consumers are not any longer visiting restaurants as often, leading McDonald's and other fast-food chains to show to inexpensive meals to spice up sales. According to StreetAccount estimates, Wall Street analysts expect the corporate to report third-quarter comparable sales growth of 0.5% within the United States.
For now, McDonald's is attempting to reassure customers that its menu items are suitable for eating and drink and that it’s taking the outbreak seriously. Experts told CNBC that barring a more serious crisis, damage to the brand might be minimal, similar to a related E. coli outbreak Wendy's two years ago.
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