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E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s is over, CDC says
An E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s has ended, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday.
The outbreak sickened at least 104 people in 14 states, about a third of whom were hospitalized. One person, an 88-year-old man, died in Colorado. The total number of illnesses was likely much higher, according to the CDC.
The outbreak was announced on Oct. 22. It usually takes several weeks to determine if a sick person is part of an outbreak. The illnesses started on Sept. 12 and continued until Oct. 21.
“The process to reach this point has at times felt long, challenging and uncertain,” McDonald’s said in a Tuesday statement. “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. We’d like to thank them once again.”
Investigators determined the E. coli outbreak was linked to slivered onions on McDonald’s Quarter Pounder burgers. Taylor Farms, the onion distributor, initiated a recall in late October. McDonald’s initially removed Quarter Pounders from menus in several states early in the outbreak and later found another supplier for onions.
“McDonald’s is no longer serving recalled onions, and there does not appear to be a continued food safety concern related to this outbreak,” the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday.
People infected with E. coli can experience severe stomach cramps, diarrhea and vomiting. Most people recover without treatment after five to seven days.
Last month, McDonald’s said it was investing $100 million to “accelerate recovery and support the most heavily impacted franchisees” after the outbreak.
“Looking ahead, we must remain laser focused on regaining our customers’ hard-earned trust and reigniting their brand affinity,” McDonald’s said in a Tuesday statement.
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A teacher and student killed in a shooting earlier this week at a school in Madison, Wisconsin, were identified Wednesday by authorities.
The Dane County Medical Examiner’s Office said in a news release provided to CBS News that 42-year-old Erin West and 14-year-old Rubi Vergara were fatally shot Monday morning at Abundant Life Christian School.
Preliminary examinations determined the two died of “homicidal firearm related trauma.” Both were pronounced dead at the scene, the medical examiner said.
An online obituary on a local funeral site stated Vergara was a freshman who leaves behind her parents, one brother, and a large extended family. It described her as “an avid reader” who “loved art, singing and playing keyboard in the family worship band.”
West’s exact position with the school was unclear.
The medical examiner also confirmed that a preliminary autopsy found that the suspected shooter, 15-year-old Natalie Rupnow — a student at the same school — was pronounced dead at a local hospital Monday of “firearm related trauma.” Madison Chief of Police Shon F. Barnes had previously told reporters that Rupnow was pronounced dead while being transported to a hospital.
Police had also previously stated that she was believed to have died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.
The shooting at the private Christian K-12 school was reported just before 11 a.m. Monday. In addition to the two people killed and the shooter, six others were wounded.
Police said the shooting occurred in a classroom where a study hall was taking place involving students from several grades.
A handgun was recovered after the shooting, Barnes said, but it was unclear where the gun came from or how many shots were fired. A law enforcement source said the weapon used in the shooting appears to have been a 9 mm pistol.
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