The CDC says the outbreak of E. coli at McDonald’s is over

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Tuesday that the deadly outbreak of E. coli linked to sliced ​​onions served in McDonald’s is over, more than a month after the agency began its investigation into the spread.

The CDC said 104 people in 14 states were infected during the outbreak. This led to 27 hospitalizations and the previously reported death of a senior citizen in Colorado.

The agency first announced the outbreak on October 22. The CDC pointed to fresh sliced ​​onions served on Quarter Pounders and other menu items as the likely source of this outbreak.

Quarter Pounder burgers are a staple of the McDonald’s menu, raking in billions of dollars each year. The company temporarily removed these burgers from some locations following the outbreak, but has since reinstated the menu item. The last outbreak of the illness occurred on October 21, a day before the company took action and the CDC announced its investigation.

Even though the outbreak is officially over, McDonald’s is still dealing with the impact of its sales.

Foot traffic to its U.S. restaurants fell 6.6% on Nov. 18 compared to a year earlier, according to a research note from Gordon Haskett. This is an improvement from the low point of a seven-day rolling average of 11% traffic decline on October 29.

The 10 states where the CDC first logged on to the outbreak saw steeper traffic declines, such as a combined 9.5% drop on Nov. 18, according to the memo.

The company will also invest more than $100 million in marketing and targeted financial assistance for affected franchisees.

McDonald’s brought back its popular McRib starting Tuesday, despite a “farewell tour” last year. The chain will also launch a new McValue menu in January, hoping to appeal to consumers looking for cheap deals.

“Looking ahead, we must remain focused on rebuilding our customers’ hard-earned trust and reigniting their brand affinity,” wrote Michael Gonda, McDonald’s director of North American impact, and Cesar Pina, the company’s North American supply chain director. an internal memo on Tuesday.

McDonald’s shares have fallen 7% since the CDC first linked the chain’s Quarter Pounders to the outbreak. The company has a market capitalization of $209.6 billion.