Deadly McDonald’s E. coli outbreak expands closer to Ohio

DAYTON — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have added three more states to its list of those affected by an E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s and one is close to Ohio.

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Earlier this week, the CDC reported 49 cases across 10 states and that at least one person had died as a result. Now, at least 75 people have gotten sick across 13 states. Only one person has died, but 22 people have been hospitalized.

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Initially, cases had been reported in Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Oregon, Utah, Wisconsin, and Wyoming. Now, new cases have been reported in Michigan, New Mexico and Washington.

The outbreak is linked to the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers, according to the CDC. The fast food chain says it is believed that the outbreak came from slivered onions that they got from one of their suppliers, Taylor Farms.

Taylor Farms has recalled yellow onions. They did not confirm if they supplied onions to the McDonald’s locations at the center of the outbreak.

Several restaurants in those areas, including Taco Bell, Pizza Hut, KFC, and Burger King, have pulled onions from some of their menus to be safe, our sister station WSB-TV reported.

Symptoms of E. coli usually start three to four days after swallowing the bacteria and include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), and vomiting.

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