- CDC investigates E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's Quarter Pounders.
- 49 cases reported across 10 states, including 9 in Nebraska and 1 in Iowa.
- One person has died and 10 have been hospitalized.
- McDonald's has removed contaminated ingredients from all franchises.
- No specific locations in Nebraska have been identified by the health department
BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:
An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald's quarter pounders is hitting close to home, with several Nebraskans getting sick. One person has died and 10 people have been hospitalized, three of which are from Nebraska. They're connected to the national E. coli outbreak that the CDC has linked to McDonald's quarter pounders.
A recall has not been issued, but McDonald's says it has pulled ingredients, including fresh slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties.
Here's what we know about local franchises:
- No specific locations in Nebraska have been identified by the health department
- Contaminated items were distributed to all franchises
- McDonald's says they have been removed. Because of this, one neighbor says he's not worried.
"With how many people eat McDonald's every day, it doesn't seem like a close issue. I don't eat there very often, but I probably would. I'm not really too sketchy about it," said one customer.
So far, 49 cases have been reported, including the one death and 10 hospitalizations in 10 different states. Nine cases have been reported in Nebraska and one in Iowa.
"People can get really sick from this, the symptoms include diarrhea which can be bloody, abdominal cramping, vomiting, fever, and you can get severely dehydrated," said CBS News Chief Medical Correspondent Dr. Jon Lapook.
Because symptoms typically emerge 3-4 days after eating contaminated products, the Douglas County Health Department Deputy Director Justin Frederick says there are likely more cases to emerge. If you experience any symptoms, contact your healthcare provider.
