WASHINGTON, Nov 14: The number of people in the United States who came down with E. coli infection after eating at a McDonald’s fast-food restaurant has risen to 104 from 90 cases reported previously, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said on Thursday.
“As of November 13, a total of 104 people infected with the outbreak strain of E. coli O157:H7 have been reported from 14 states… Of 98 people with information available, 34 have been hospitalized, and 4 people developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious condition that can cause kidney failure. One death has been reported from an older adult in Colorado,” CDC said.
The health authority said the number of cases was likely to rise because it usually takes 3-4 weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak.
“The true number of sick people in this outbreak is likely much higher than the number reported, and the outbreak may not be limited to the states with known illnesses,” CDC said, adding that many people recover without medical care and are not tested for the infection.
On October 24, McDonald’s said it had pulled Quarter Pounders from the menu at about one-fifth of its restaurants, mostly in the US Midwest, after reports of E. coli infection cases, which could have been possibly caused by undercooked onions.
(UNI)
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