McDonald's Shares fell in prolonged trading Tuesday after the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said E. coli outbreak Associated with McDonald's Quarter Pounder burgers has resulted in 10 hospitalizations and one death.
The agency said 49 cases were reported in 10 states from Sept. 27 to Oct. 11, with most illnesses occurring in Colorado and Nebraska. “Most” sick people reported eating a McDonald's Quarter Pounder, the CDC added.
One of the patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that may result in kidney failure. An older adult in Colorado has died.
Shares of McDonald's fell about 7% in after-hours trading on Tuesday.
In one statement on TuesdayMcDonald's said it’s taking “swift and decisive action” following the E. coli outbreak in certain states.
The company said initial results from the continuing investigation show that a few of the illnesses could also be linked to slivered onions – or fresh, thinly sliced onions – utilized in the Quarter Pounder and purchased from a single supplier that serves three distribution centers . McDonald's has ordered all local restaurants to remove sliced onions from their inventory and has stopped distributing the ingredient within the affected area.
Quarter Pounder hamburgers can be temporarily unavailable in several Western states, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, in addition to parts of other states, McDonald's said. It added that it was working with suppliers to replenish ingredients.
Most states and menu items are unaffected by the outbreak, Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald's USA, said in a video. The company's other beef products, including cheeseburgers, hamburgers, Big Mac, McDouble and the double cheeseburger, are usually not affected, he added.
“We are working quickly to make our full menu available again in these states as quickly as possible,” Erlinger said. “I hope these steps demonstrate McDonald’s commitment to food safety.”
Quarter Pounder hamburgers are a key menu item for McDonald's, bringing in billions of dollars annually. In 2018, McDonald's introduced fresh beef for its Quarter Pounders in most of its U.S. stores.
The CDC said the number of individuals affected by the outbreak is “likely much higher” than previously reported. The agency said that's because many individuals get better from an E. coli infection without being tested for it or receiving medical care. Additionally, it typically takes three to 4 weeks to find out whether a sick patient is a component of an outbreak, the CDC added.
E. coli refers to a gaggle of bacteria that happens within the intestines of just about all people and animals. However, some strains of bacteria may cause mild to severe illness when an individual eats contaminated food or drinks contaminated water.
According to the CDC, symptoms corresponding to stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting normally appear three to 4 days after ingesting the bacteria. Most people get better without treatment in five to seven days.
Several cases of E. coli have been reported in McDonald's restaurants previously.
In 2022, no less than six children developed symptoms suggestive of E. coli poisoning after eating McDonald's' Chicken McNuggets Happy Meals in Ashland, Alabama. Four of the six children were taken to hospital after suffering serious unwanted effects.
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