(NewsNation) — Health officials on Friday announced 26 new E. coli cases among people who ate at McDonald’s amid an outbreak linked to the fast-food chain’s Quarter Pounder burger.
The new cases bring the total number of known infections to 75. Twenty-two people have been hospitalized and one person has died.
Risk to the public remains low as McDonald’s and one of its onion suppliers take action to identify the root of the contamination, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
The outbreak now spans 13 states including Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, and portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, according to the CDC.
McDonald’s restaurants in each state have temporarily stopped using their current supply of Quarter Pounder slivered onions and beef patties.
Investigators are working to confirm which ingredient is making people sick and whether other restaurants might be affected.
The patties in question are only used on Quarter Pounders. Fresh-slivered onions are likewise used primarily for that burger.
Taylor Farms, which supplies slivered onions to the affected restaurants, issued a voluntary recall. The food supplier asked customers to stop using some onions while the investigation is ongoing.
The CDC encourages anyone with E. coli symptoms should call their doctor. Symptoms include:
- Diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees Fahrenheit
- So much vomiting that you cannot keep liquids down
- Signs of dehydration, such as less frequent urination, dry mouth and throat, and dizziness upon standing
