The announcement immediately caused the group's stock to fall on the stock market. Ten people were hospitalized and one elderly person died in Colorado, United States, after E. coli infections linked to fast food giant McDonald's on Tuesday, the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said. diseases (CDC), the American health authority.
49 people from ten American states were contaminated by the same strain of E. Coli, according to the CDC. Most of the patients are from Colorado or Nebraska. One of the patients developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a serious illness that can lead to kidney failure, while a senior citizen in Colorado died. Most of the patients reported eating a Quarter Pounder, one of the most consumed McDonald's burgers in the United States.
McDonald's said it was taking “rapid and decisive action” following the announcement of these contaminations. The firm announced in a press release that Quarter's Pounders will temporarily no longer be available in several western states, including Colorado, Kansas, Utah and Wyoming, as well as in parts of other states. .
The specific ingredient linked to the contamination has not yet been identified, but investigators are focusing on fresh sliced onions and fresh beef patties, the CDC said. Pending the conclusions of the investigation, the brand has decided to no longer use these ingredients which are, it assures, specific to the preparation of Quarter Pounders.
McDonald's shares were down about 9% after the close on Tuesday. If the decline continues, the group could lose up to $20 billion in market capitalization, according to Reuters.
In the week following the consumption of contaminated products, the E. Coli bacteria can cause diarrhea, sometimes bloody, abdominal pain and vomiting, accompanied or not by fever. These symptoms can be followed (5 to 8% of cases) by severe renal complications, mainly in children. If these symptoms appear, it is advisable to consult a doctor as soon as possible.
