EL PASO, Texas (KTSM) – At least three McDonald’s locations in West El Paso have temporarily stopped selling the Quarter Pounder item on their menu following the E. coli outbreak.
This comes as the New Mexico Department of Health (NMDOH) is investigating five potential cases of E. coli linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders in Bernalillo County, the organization announced on Wednesday, Oct 23.
Health officials said one person has been hospitalized.
Chad Smelser, an NMDOH deputy epidemiologist, said interviews are being conducted with affected individuals to gather more information.
Symptoms of the infection include nausea, vomiting, stomach cramps and in severe cases, bloody diarrhea.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said the outbreak has affected at least 49 people across 10 states, with one death reported in Colorado.
Health officials are working with the CDC to pinpoint the source of the contamination as investigations continue.
Joe Erlinger, president of McDonald’s USA, said they have taken action to ensure the safety of their customers.
“We took swift action to remove the Quarter Pounder from our menu and are working to ensure the safety of our customers,” Erlinger said.
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