McDonald's Shares Drop 10% as E. coli Outbreak Linked to Quarter Pounders Sickens 49 in 10 States

Oct 22, 2024, 08:41 PM

McDonald's Corp.'s shares fell nearly 10%, erasing over $25 billion in market value, after the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) linked an E. coli outbreak to the company's Quarter Pounder hamburgers. The outbreak, concentrated in the Mountain West states, has affected 49 people across 10 states, predominantly in Colorado and Nebraska, resulting in 10 hospitalizations and one death, an older adult in Colorado. In response, McDonald's is temporarily removing the Quarter Pounder from menus in the impacted areas and is taking swift and decisive action. Initial findings from the company's investigation indicate that the illnesses may be linked to slivered onions used in the Quarter Pounder, sourced from a single supplier serving three distribution centers. The CDC is warning the public, and investigators are working to confirm which ingredient is contaminated.