McDonald’s says it is taking “swift and decisive action” in response to a deadly E. coli outbreak linked to the fast food giant’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
One person has died and 10 others have been hospitalized in connection with the incident, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said on Tuesday.
The outbreak began on Sept. 27 and has sickened at least 49 people in 10 states through Oct. 11, according to the CDC. However, the agency cautioned that more recent illnesses may not have been reported and that the number of cases could rise.
The company says initial findings indicate that some of the illnesses may be linked to slivered onions and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers.
McDonald’s is pulling Quarter Pounders from the menu in 12 states in response to the crisis.
“We take food safety extremely seriously and it’s the right thing to do,” said McDonald’s North America Chief Supply Chain Officer Cesar Piña. “Impacted restaurants are receiving a stock recovery notice today and should reach out to their field supply chain manager or distribution center with any questions.”
The Quarter Pounder is being pulled from restaurants in Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as portions of Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma.
McDonald’s says all other menu items, including other beef products including the cheeseburger, hamburger, Big Mac, McDouble and the double cheeseburger are unaffected and available.
“Across the McDonald’s System, serving customers safely in every single restaurant, each and every day, is our top priority and something we’ll never compromise on,” Piña said.
The company says it is working with suppliers to replenish supply for the Quarter Pounder in the coming weeks but it doesn’t have a set timeline for its return.
E. coli can cause diarrhea, urinary tract infections, pneumonia, sepsis and other illnesses including hemolytic uremic syndrome, or HUS, a serious condition that can lead to kidney failure, permanent health problems or death.
This is the second recent public relations crisis for the company. McDonald’s tried to distance itself from controversy over a campaign stunt carried out by Donald Trump over the weekend.
The former president simulated cooking French fries and serving them to supporters at a drive-thru window. Some online commenters noted that Trump committed health code violations such as not wearing a hair net.
McDonald’s stock price was down sharply in pre-market trading on Wednesday.
