McDonald’s E Coli Outbreak Now Linked to Over 100 Illnesses, 1 Death
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Over 100 Sickened in McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak

The outbreak, linked to the slivered onions on Quarter Pounders, has also lead to 1 death.
Over 100 Sickened in McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak
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Updated on November 15, 2024
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This is an update of an article originally published on October 23, 2024.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are continuing to jointly investigate a multistate E. coli outbreak that has been linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. The FDA said in a statement that slivered onions on the burgers are the likely source of the contamination.

As of November 13, 2024, 104 people have been sickened, 34 have been hospitalized, and one older person has died, according to the FDA. Most recalled eating a Quarter Pounder before getting sick. The majority of illnesses have been identified in Colorado and Montana, but they’ve also been reported in a dozen additional states.

Four of the people hospitalized developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious illness that can cause kidney failure, the FDA said.

The CDC said in another statement: “The true number of sick people is likely much higher than the number reported. This is because many people recover without medical care and are not tested for E. coli.”

On October 22, McDonald’s said it had pulled Quarter Pounders and slivered onions from its menu in the impacted areas. Following this week’s update from the FDA, McDonald’s announced that there was no longer any food safety concern, and that “all confirmed cases at this time originated before McDonald’s took action … to remove slivered onions at select restaurants.”

The company added that it had found a new onion supplier for the approximately 900 restaurants that had pulled Quarter Pounders, and that the burgers were now back on the menu.

Symptoms of E. Coli and When to Seek Treatment

Most people get sick within a few days of ingesting foods contaminated with E. coli, and can experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (sometimes bloody), and vomiting.

Most people get better without treatment in five to seven days, but some experience permanent kidney damage or even death. The very young, the elderly, and individuals with weakened immune systems are at highest risk.

You should seek immediate medical treatment if you experience:

  • Diarrhea and fever higher than 102 degrees F
  • Diarrhea for more than three days that’s not improving
  • Bloody diarrhea
  • Vomiting so much that you can’t keep liquids down
  • Signs of dehydration such as dry mouth, not peeing as often, or feeling dizzy when standing up
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Resources
  1. Outbreak Investigation of E. coli O157:H7: Onions (October 2024). U.S. Food and Drug Administration. November 13, 2024.
  2. Where People Got Sick: E. coli Outbreak, Onions Served at McDonald's — November 13, 2024. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. November 13, 2024.
  3. Always Putting Food Safety First. McDonald’s. November 14, 2024.