Thursday, October 24

One person is dead, and at least 49 have been reported to be sick in an outbreak of E. coli connected to Quarter Pounder burgers from fast food chain McDonald's.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued a food safety alert for the product, detailing the investigation into the outbreak. They found that at least 49 people got sick of E. coli shortly after eating a McDonald's Quarter Pounder, with most infections taking place in the states of Colorado and Nebraska. However, illnesses have also been reported in Kansas, Utah, Iowa, Idaho, Wyoming, Missouri, Montana, Nevada, New Mexico, and Oklahoma, and the CDC has stated that the outbreak may stretch beyond the states listed above.

McDonald's is currently investigating which parts of the burger caused the infections and where they were sent. While the Quarter Pounder contains similar ingredients to several other burgers, the beef patty used in the burger is unique to that product, and it is also topped with onions, which are not commonly used in other McDonald's products. The usage of both ingredients has been stopped in the affected states, and McDonald's is currently attempting to find out how they were contaminated and if the infected ingredients were sent to any other states. McDonald's has confirmed, though, that no other burger is affected by the infection-- all other burgers containing beef patties are still safe to eat.

Escherichia coli, more commonly known as E. coli, is a bacteria that comes in many different types. Most types of E. coli are harmless and are found everywhere-- in fact, some E. coli types even reside in your intestines and come out in the solid waste of people and animals. However, several types of the bacteria can be extremely dangerous. According to the CDC, of all of the types of E. coli, only six are dangerous-- three of the six primarily come from poop of an infected person, and two are caused by unknown factors. These five types usually result in high fevers, watery diarrhea, and vomiting-- the severity of the symptoms can depend on the type of E. coli contracted.

The last, known as STEC, comes from contaminated food (especially leafy greens and ground beef) and dirty water. STEC can lead to bloody diarrhea, serious stomach cramps, and severe vomiting. In addition, due to the vomiting, infected people can become extremely dehydrated, leading to dizziness and painful headaches.

STEC is most-likely the type that is affecting McDonald's customers across the United States, so if you live in the United States, it may be best to stay away from McDonald's Quarter Pounders for a while-- no matter what state you live in.

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Famous for its diamond trade, Arkansas is the only state where tourists can search for diamonds in their original volcanic source. At Arkansas’ Crater of Diamonds State Park, tourists can dig through fields maintained by the park and are allowed to keep any diamonds they discover.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Excellence isn’t an act, it’s a habit. (Quincy Jones)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Palaver (noun)- Palaver is an informal word that usually refers to unimportant or meaningless talk. It can also refer to misleading or deceptive speech, or to a conference or discussion. In British English the word is sometimes used as a synonym of fuss to refer to unnecessary excitement about something.

In a Sentence: Enough of this palaver. We have more important things to discuss.