e coli O157:H7 infections have spread across multiple states due to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers with 49 cases reported till date
A friendly trip to America’s famous fast food joint by Americans turned into nightmare as a severe case of e coli O157:H7 infections were reported across 10 states with 1 death and 10 hospitalizations reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
e coli McDonalds: What happened?
America is reeling under a severe outbreak of e coli O157:H7 infections. The outbreak is linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburgers. It has already spread to 10 states across the US with Colorado and Nebraska state reporting most of the cases.
E Coli O157:H7 symptoms include severe stomach cramps, diarrhea (often bloody), vomiting, and fever. The infections comes to light 3-4 days after exposure.
Till date, 49 cases have been reported with 10 individuals already hospitalized. There is also a report that 1 person died due to the e coli infection in Colorado.
e coli McDonalds: Infection Investigation
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the FDA, and the USDA investigated the e coli O157:H7 infections outbreak and found silver onions as the probable cause of contamination. Beef Patti is also believed to be the reason for this infection.
The investigating agency CDC has issued an advisory to anyone who has eaten the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger, and is feeling the e coli symptoms should seek medical help immediately. The CDC has also warned that the total infection incidents could be much higher than reported.
e coli McDonalds: Fast Food Giants Response
McDonalds after the e coli infection came to highlight has stopped using silver onions and quarter pound beef patty in their burgers in several states. It has further issued a statement about closely working with suppliers to resolve the issue for ensuring complete consumer safety.
They have stated that their other products are unaffected, safe to consume and available for purchase. Meanwhile, the McDonalds stock took a nose dive as seen below:
e Coli McDonalds: What Next?
The e coli infections outbreak have highlighted the ongoing concerns about food safety in fast food establishments once again. Fast food joints are a potential hotbed for spreading of contaminated food products.Fast foods joints are already under scanner as processed foods have started to be linked to cancer, obsity, life style diseases and more health issues.
The e coli infection spread has only fuel to the fire on eating processed food from fast food joints as a potential health hazard. This is evident by the fact that that a child suffered from hemolytic uremic syndrome after eating the McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger. This is a severe complication associated with E. coli infections.
What can be worse than the fact that a person died from eating a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder hamburger?
The outbreak is irreplaceable loss to the family of the dead person , and a nightmare to those who were hospitalized or didn’t report the symptoms but suffered the consequences nether the less. This incident also brings forth more questions about the processing of food in fast food joints, their upkeep, the way they are transported and the quality checks done in the fast food joints.
If a fast food giant like McDonalds can make such a critical mistake in not 1 but 10 states in the US, what to talk about medium sized fast food joints. McDonalds has paid the price with its shares crashing down, along with loosing the common working American people confidence in their establishment. One can only hope they learn their lesson well & avoid the same mistakes again.
Also Read: Trump at McDonald as US Presidential Elections Enters the Final Leg!