The deadly McDonald’s onions E. coli O157:H7 outbreak has now sickened at least 90 people in 13 states and hospitalized 27, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That’s an increase of 15 more patients and five new hospitalizations since the last update.
The case count is: Colorado (29), Iowa (1), Kansas (1), Michigan (2), Missouri (8), Montana (17), Nebraska (12), New Mexico (5), Oregon (1), Utah (7), Washington (1), Wisconsin (1), and Wyoming (5). Illnesses onset dates range from September 27, 2024 to October 16, 2024. The person who died lived in Colorado.
Of 83 people who gave information to public health officials, 27 have been hospitalized, for a hospitalization rate of 33%. The patient age range is from 13 to 88 years. Two people have developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which is a type of kidney failure.
As of October 30, 2024, fresh, slivered onions served on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and other menu items from some McDonald’s locations are the likely source of this outbreak. The new illnesses happened before McDonald’s and Taylor Farms removed onions from food service locations. The CDC now believes the risk to the public is very low due to this action.
State and local public health officials have interviewed 62 people who are part of this outbreak. In the week before they got sick, all reported eating at McDonald’s. Fifty eight people remembered specific menu items they ate. Forty-eight of those 58 people ate a menu item made with fresh slivered onions. Forty-six of those 58 people reported a menu item made with fresh quarter pound beef patties. Three people said they ate items that contained fresh, slivered onions but not the quarter pound beef patties. One person ate a menu item with a fresh quarter pound beef patty but without fresh slivered onions.
The FDA has initiated inspections at a Taylor Farms processing center in Colorado and at an onion grower of interest in Washington state. FDA is unable to implicate a grower at this time.
On October 22, 2024, Taylor Farms, who supplied the slivered onions for the affected McDonald’s locations, initiated a recall of yellow onions. The FDA is working with firms that bought those onions and will provide updates as needed.
The fresh and frozen beef patties used by McDonald’s were sampled by the Colorado Department of Agriculture on October 22, 204. They tested negative for E. coli O157:H7 bacteria.
If you ate Quarter Pounder hamburgers with slivered onions at a McDonald’s in October, or another menu item with slivered onions, and have been ill with the symptoms of E. coli O157;H7 infection, see your doctor. You may be part of this outbreak.
If you have been sickened with a food poisoning infection, please contact our experienced attorneys for help with a possible lawsuit at 1-888-377-8900 or text us at 612-261-0856. Our firm represents clients in lawsuits against grocery stores, restaurants, and food processors, and families in wrongful death cases.
