At least one person has died, and several others have fallen ill, due to a serious E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. The health agency said the outbreak that began late last month has spread to at least ten states across the West, with the majority of the 50 cases concentrated around Colorado and Nebraska.

More than ten people have been hospitalized – including a child suffering from hemolytic uremic syndrome – a condition that causes damage to the blood vessels in your kidneys due to E. coli infection.

CDC says McDonald’s has removed ingredients for burgers

According to a preliminary investigation by the CDC, all of the people affected had the same strain of E. coli and reported eating at McDonald’s before they developed symptoms, most notably recalling Quarter Pounders. Was told.

The CDC says McDonald’s has removed “the ingredients for these burgers” and they will no longer be available for purchase in some states. The agency said McDonald’s is working with investigators to determine which ingredients are making people sick. The company has stopped using it. fresh chopped onion” and 1/4 pound beef patties in some states while the investigation continues. “Food safety is very important to me and everyone at McDonald’s,” Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, said in a video message. “We Selected states have taken steps to actively phase out chopped onions used in Quarter Pounders.

What is E.coli?

E. coli is a group of bacteria that causes infections in your intestine, urinary tract, and other parts of your body. According to doctors, most of the time it can remain in your intestine without harming you. But some strains can make you sick.

symptoms of e coli include:

• Diarrhea – often watery and sometimes bloody
• stomach pain and cramps
• loss of appetite
• mild fever

Most people recover without treatment within five to seven days. However, some people may develop serious kidney problems and may require hospitalization.

How is E. coli infection spread?,

Doctors say mostly diarrheagenic e coli The strains spread through fecal-oral transmission — when bacteria from stool that are too small to see make their way into your mouth and digestive tract. In particular, you may get infection from:

• eating contaminated food
• drinking unpasteurized beverages
• drinking contaminated water
• touching feces or contaminated surfaces
• Not wiping properly after going to the bathroom

This burger outbreak is one of the most recent incidents involving contaminated food. Nearly 12 million pounds of meat was recalled earlier this month due to possible listeria contamination. Late this summer, an outbreak of listeria food poisoning linked to boar’s head deli meat sickened dozens of people and several died.

Get the latest news live on Times Now with breaking news and top headlines from around the world.