Coloradan whose death is connected to McDonald's E. coli outbreak was from Mesa County
The person who died in Colorado and whose death is tied to a multi-state McDonald's E. coli outbreak lived in Mesa County. That's according to Mesa County Public Health, which has not released the identity of the deceased person. According to the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, it was a man who was in his older years.
Colorado is the only state where a death has been reported, and it is the state with the most cases of people getting sick from E. coli food poisoning linked in McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers.
"While the specific source of contamination is still under investigation, early information from the Food and Drug Administration indicates the onions on McDonald's Quarter Pounders may be a source of this outbreak," Mesa County Public Health wrote in a news release. "Fresh-slivered onions are primarily used on Quarter Pounder hamburgers and not other menu items. USDA is also looking into the beef patties on the Quarter Pounder hamburgers."
The CDPHE says there have been 26 cases reported in nine different Colorado counties, and they are located in several different parts of the state:
Arapahoe County
Chaffee County
El Paso County
Gunnison County
Larimer County
Mesa County
Routt County
Teller County
Weld County
The illnesses were reported between the last days of September and through Oct. 11. An investigation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention into the outbreak is ongoing.
There are a total of 49 people overall from 10 different states who have reported becoming sick. Ten people had to go to the hospital, including a child who developed serious kidney complications.
McDonald's company leaders said on Tuesday that they have taken Quarter Pounders off the menu in states where there have been outbreaks.
An onion supplier issued a recall for its onions following the E. coli outbreak. U.S. Foods confirmed Taylor Farms issued a recall for yellow onions produced out of its Colorado facility. U.S. Foods supplies onions to several restaurant chains across the state. Taylor Farms told CBS News Colorado that it has tested its product and hasn't found any traces of E. coli but the company is working with the FDA and CDC during the investigation.
