Five cases of E. coli reported in New Mexico connected to McDonald’s Quarter Pounder
Update: Health officials say there are five confirmed cases and one hospitalization confirmed in Bernalillo county.
LAS CRUCES, New Mexico (KVIA) -- The E. coli outbreak in McDonald's Quarter Pounder hamburgers is spreading. McDonald's in parts of New Mexico are no longer serving the slivered onions or hamburger patties normally served on the Quarter Pounders, according to a new CDC alert.
The CDC has not specified which portions of the state are being impacted, although an ABC-7 crew saw that a McDonald's on US-70 in Las Cruces was not offering the Quarter Pounder Tuesday night.
The CDC says it does not yet know which food ingredient in the hamburger is contaminated. McDonald's is working with the agency to figure out which ingredient is the problem.
"McDonald’s stopped using fresh slivered onions and quarter pound beef patties in several states while the investigation is ongoing to identify the ingredient causing illness," the CDC said.
The states with the most reported illnesses are Colorado and Nebraska, the CDC says.
The Quarter Pounder will not be available for awhile in some states while the investigation moves forward.
The CDC says that you should contact your healthcare provider is you have severe E. coli symptoms, which includes diarrhea and a fever over 102 degrees, vomiting, dehydration, dry mouth, and dizziness when standing up.
