By ChinRes 
Following the death of one individual and the illness of scores of others in ten states, a life-threatening E. coli epidemic is presently making headlines all over the world. It is highly likely that hamburgers from McDonald’s are to blame, as stated by the most prominent public health agency in the United States.
On October 22nd, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, also known as the CDC, made the formal announcement that they will be conducting an inquiry into the E. coli incident. A total of 49 people have been unwell across the affected states, which include Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
As at this moment, one person has passed away, ten people have been hospitalized, and 49 people have fallen asleep. According to the FDA, the majority of those who have been afflicted by the epidemic have made the statement that they had Quarter Pounder burgers from McDonald’s before to falling ill.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) did not specify which component in Quarter Pounder might be tainted. Nevertheless, in a letter that was published on October 22nd, the Chief Supply Chain Officer of McDonald’s North America, Cesar Piña, stated that “initial findings from the probe indicate that a subset of illnesses could have been linked to slivered onions used in the quarter-pound sandwich and sourced by one supplier that serves three distribution centers.”
According to Piña, the firm is working along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to take “swift and decisive action” in response to the outbreak news. Additionally, the company has issued an order to local restaurants to cease selling the potentially infected slivered onions.
In addition, the Quarter Pounder has been temporarily pulled from restaurants in regions that have been affected by the epidemic. These regions include Colorado, Kansas, and Utah. Additionally, portions of the states of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska Press, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma have temporarily ceased supplying the well-liked burger.
“We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do,” Piña added.
At McDonald’s, all of the other beef-based dishes, such as the Cheeseburger (300 calories), Hamburger (250 calories), Big Mac (590 calories), McDouble (390 calories), and Double Cheeseburger (440 calories), are still accessible and have not been impacted by the epidemic. Within the next several weeks, McDonald’s is working with the vendors it uses to restore Quarter Pounder supply in the impacted locations.
However, the timetable of the burger’s return might vary depending on the market. During the course of the epidemic and the implementation of menu revisions, Piña stated that the firm will continue to continuously offer timely information.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), E. coli bacteria are bacteria that can infect individuals through the consumption of contaminated food or drink, as well as through contact with animals, other people, and certain settings. There are certain individuals who are more prone to become infected with E. coli than others.
These individuals include children younger than five years old, adults aged 65 or older, overseas travelers, and those with compromised immune systems.
Those who have recently consumed a Quarter Pounder from McDonald’s and have acquired severe symptoms of E. coli are strongly encouraged to make an appointment with their primary care physician. It is possible to experience severe symptoms such as a temperature that is higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit, diarrhea that continues for more than three days, bloody diarrhea, signs of dehydration, and vomiting that is so intense that it is impossible to keep liquids down.