At least 90 people have been infected with E. coli in a multistate outbreak that health officials say likely stems from onions served on McDonald’s Quarter Pounders and could see the fast food chain taken to court. At least 27 people have been hospitalized, two have developed dangerous kidney complications and one person in Colorado has died, according to the U.
S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The onion supplier at all affected restaurants, Salinas-based agricultural producer Taylor Farms, announced a recall of its onions from a Colorado processing facility last week, and McDonald’s resumed serving Quarter Pounders at all locations this week.
Attorney Ron Simon is representing 33 infected people taking legal action against McDonald’s, according to a news release. They include 15-year-old Kamberlyn Bowler of Grand Junction, Colo., who has been hospitalized for almost two weeks with hemolytic uremic syndrome, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the kidneys.
“HUS is a dangerous and life-threatening illness, and can lead to the need for life-long monitoring and treatment, including kidney transplants,” Simon said in a statement. “The longer a young person is on dialysis, the more difficult their medical future will likely be.” Kamberlyn was airlifted to Children’s Hospital Colorado in Aurora on Oct.
18 after testing at her local hospital revealed she was in kidney failure due to a severe E. coli infection. Kamberlyn’s mother, Brittany Ran.