McDonald’s Quarter Pounders tied to E. coli outbreak

E. coli food poisoning linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states, including one person who died and 10 who were hospitalized, federal health officials said Tuesday.

The death was reported in an older person in Colorado, and one child was hospitalized with severe kidney complications, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported.

Infections were reported between Sept. 27 and Oct. 11, in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Colorado has the most cases, 27, followed by Nebraska with nine.

Everyone interviewed in connection with the outbreak reported eating at McDonald’s before falling ill, and most mentioned eating Quarter Pounder hamburgers, the CDC said.

The U.S. Agriculture Department, the Food and Drug Administration, and state health officials are also investigating.