Washington: The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Tuesday, October 22, that a serious E. coli epidemic connected to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has resulted in one death and several illnesses.

According to the health service, the epidemic, which started in late September, has spread to ten western states, with Colorado and Nebraska accounting for the majority of the 49 cases.

Following the statement, the fast food chain’s stock fell more than 6% in after-hours trade.

A toddler with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a dangerous illness that damages kidney blood vessels, is among the ten patients admitted to the hospital.

“One older person in Colorado has died,” the CDC stated in a statement.

The same strain of E. coli was present in all afflicted individuals, and the majority particularly recalled consuming Quarter Pounders at McDonald’s before to the onset of their illness.

Although the precise substance responsible for the epidemic has not yet been identified, investigators are concentrating on beef patties and sliced onions, both of which have been banned from eateries in the impacted states until more research is conducted.

Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, said in a video message, “Food safety is so important to me and everyone at McDonald’s.” “In some places, we’ve taken preemptive measures to ban sliced onions, which are utilized in quarter pounders.

“We’ve also made the decision to temporarily remove the Quarter Pounder from restaurants in select states.”

The vast majority of nations are unaffected, he noted. Other beef products and other menu items are still offered in the impacted states.

The organization recommended that anybody who ingested a quarter-pound and had symptoms of E. coli poisoning, including vomiting, diarrhea, and a temperature above 38.9 degrees Celsius, seek medical help.

Most people recover without therapy in five to seven days, with symptoms usually starting three to four days after exposure. Nonetheless, certain situations may worsen and need hospitalization.