A teenager from Grand Junction, Colorado has been hospitalized with kidney failure linked to E. coli after consuming a McDonald’s Quarter Pounder. The outbreak has affected 75 people across 13 states, with a majority of cases in Colorado and one reported death. McDonald’s believes slivered onions from a Colorado Springs facility are the likely source of contamination, but the FDA is investigating further.
The teenager, Kamberlyn Bowler, ate the Quarter Pounder at least twice and began experiencing symptoms on October 8. She was eventually diagnosed with acute kidney failure and hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS) as a result of the E. coli infection. Her family has filed a lawsuit against McDonald’s, along with 33 other confirmed victims of the outbreak, seeking compensation for damages and justice.
McDonald’s has stopped sourcing onions from the implicated facility and is confident that any contaminated products have been removed from their supply chain. Meanwhile, the Colorado Department of Agriculture found no E. coli in beef patty samples and stated there is no evidence linking Colorado-grown onions to the outbreak. The CDC believes the risk to the public is low due to the actions taken by McDonald’s and the onion supplier. A lawyer representing the victims is pushing for individual lawsuits to ensure each case is addressed properly and to prevent a similar outbreak in the future.
Source
Photo credit www.denver7.com