McDonald’s Cleared by CDC After Investigation into Lethal E. Coli Outbreak

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) cleared McDonald’s after its lethal E. coli outbreak tied to the Quarter Pounder. The CDC made the announcement on Tuesday, Dec. 3.

McDonald’s chief impact officer Michael Gonda and chief supply chain officer Cesar Piña wrote in a recent statement that the CDC has “confirmed that their respective investigations into E. coli at McDonald’s have been closed.”

The statement added that the federal agency found “there were no new illnesses associated with consumers eating at McDonald’s following our swift and decisive action on October 22, 2024.”

“This reinforces the importance of our values, particularly in moving quickly to do the right thing and to always put people first,” Gonda and Piña wrote before thanking their complying restaurant teams. 

“The process to reach this point has at times felt long, challenging and uncertain,” the statement continued. “But it is critical that public officials examine every possible angle, and we are deeply grateful that they moved quickly to identify and, in partnership with McDonald’s, contain the issue.”

The CDC reported that the outbreak caused one death, 34 hospitalizations and 104 cases across 14 states, including Washington, Oregon, Montana, Wyoming, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Nebraska, Kansas, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Michigan and North Carolina. 

E. coli can cause severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. 

Four people affected by the outbreak developed hemolytic uremic syndrome, a rare disease that can cause kidney failure, per the CDC. 

McDonald’s stated that the company has been commended for their “immediate actions” in the impacted areas that lowered the risk to the public. The restaurant confirmed that all of the products associated with the contamination were removed from the supply chain by Oct. 22.

On Nov. 13, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) declared that there was no longer a food safety concern related to the E. coli outbreak.

The outbreak was likely caused by “fresh, slivered onions” distributed by Taylor Farms and served on the restaurant’s Quarter Pounder, according to research by the FDA, CDC and state partners.

The FDA was unable to find the strain linked to the specific strain of E. coli in its onion and environmental samples, though they noted that data shows that “recalled, yellow onions were the likely source of this outbreak.”

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PEOPLE previously reported that CDC began its investigation on Tuesday, Oct. 22. 

The first case was recorded on Sept. 27, though illnesses were documented through Oct. 21. However, the CDC noted that the “true number of sick people in this outbreak is also likely much higher than the number reported.”

Piña wrote in an internal message on the brand’s newsroom site at the time that the company is “taking swift and decisive action following” the outbreak.

“The initial findings from the investigation indicate that a subset of illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder and sourced by a single supplier that serves three distribution centers,” said Piña.

In some states, the Quarter Pounder was temporarily removed from the menu, though other beef products were “unaffected and available.”