LANSING (WWJ) The nationwide E.coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders has sickened at least two Michigan residents, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said.
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) said they are looking into the cases. No further information has been released on how severe the cases are or their demographics.
According to the CDC; public health officials started investigating an E.coli O157:H7 outbreak on Tuesday that has sickened at least 75 people across 16 states. Many people (86%) interviewed reported eating a McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburger prior to their symptoms starting.
Colorado was the hardest hit state, with 26 illnesses reported. The first illness started on September 27th of this year, and the most recent on October 10th.
The FDA lists the states where McDonald's sold the contaminated burgers as: Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
In addition to those 12 states; illnesses have also been reported in: Washington, Oregon, Wisconsin and, of course, Michigan.
The outbreak has hospitalized 22 people and left an "older adult" in Colorado dead from acute kidney failure often linked to the bacteria infection. A second person has also developed the renal failure condition—known as Hemolytic Uremic Syndrome (HUS), according to the FDA.
Health officials said the investigation may reveal more illnesses, as it normally takes up to four weeks to learn if someone was sickened as a result of an outbreak.
The CDC posted an update on Friday: they announced Taylor Farms—the Salinas, California-based supplier of slivered onions to the affected McDonald's locations—issued a voluntary recall and demanded the restaurants stop using the onions.
Quarter Pounder burgers at McDonald's will be temporarily unavailable in some states. The fast food restaurant has halted the use of Taylor Farms' recalled yellow onions. However, the onions have not officially been confirmed to be the source of the outbreak; according to the FDA.
The slivered onions were used on Quarter Pounders for the most part and not other items, the CDC said.
The people sickened range from 13 to 88 years old, with a median age of 29.
E.coli symptoms usually start within three to four days of ingesting the bacteria. Most people infected with the Shiga toxin-producing variety experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody) and vomiting; but they usually recover within a week. Those who develop HUS need to be hospitalized, the CDC said.
The World Health Organization said an estimated 10% of people with this type of E.coli develop HUS— with about one third to one half of those people passing away.
Health officials said you should contact your health care provider if you have eaten a McDonald's Quarter Pounder and you have severe E.coli symptoms including: diarrhea and a fever higher than 102 degrees, diarrhea that does not improve within three days, or bloody diarrhea. You should also call your doctor if you have so much vomiting you can't keep liquids down, or signs of dehydration including: decreased urine output, dry mouth and throat, and dizziness when standing.
The CDC deems the risk to the general public as "very low" due to the prompt action of health officials in conjunction with both Taylor Farms and McDonald's.
While Michigan is not on the list of states where the Quarter Pounders were sold; it's unclear if the two residents sickened were traveling when exposed to the E.coli.
