Foodborne Illness Outbreak News:

• The O157:H7 outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders may be traced to Taylor Farms brand slivered onions, or possibly from ground beef. Cases are now in 13 states: CO and NE have the highest numbers. (CDC)
• Taylor Farms slivered yellow onions from their CO facility have been voluntarily recalled. Distributor U.S. Foods included whole peeled and diced onions in their recall, as well. (NBC)
• Treehouse Foods expanded its Listeria recall to include all products manufactured at one of its facilities, including waffles and pancakes. (FDA)

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Bird Flu News:

• Blood testing ruled out bird flu in the sick Missouri health workers who treated the patient who tested positive for H5N1. (CIDRAP)
• Emails obtained via records requests show how much health departments have struggled to track human bird flu cases. (KFF Health News)
• Two more dairy workers in California tested positive for bird flu, bringing the state total to 15 cases. (CIDRAP)
• State and industry input led the USDA to relax a bird flu testing order for cows last spring. (Reuters)

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Health News: 

• CDC’s vaccine advisory panel recommended a second updated 2024-2025 COVID shot for those 65 and older to be given six months after their fall dose. (CDC)
• ACIP also voted to lower the age for pneumococcal vaccine, which protects against pneumonia, to 50 from 65. (USA Today)
• Whooping cough cases have increased tenfold in Maryland this year. (Baltimore Sun) 
• Mpox and measles co-infections have been found in the hard-hit Democratic Republic of the Congo. (CIDRAP)
• Two outbreaks of Legionnaires’ disease on cruise ships were linked to outdoor hot tubs. (MMWR)

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Mental Health & Substance Use News:

• Medicaid will cover traditional healing practices for Native Americans in 4 states, including music therapy, sweat lodges, and drumming. (NPR)
• Fatal overdoses often happen when users are alone. Hotlines and sensors can save lives. (Washington Post)

If you or someone you know may be considering suicide or need help, call or text 988.

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Best Questions:

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What are our takeaways from this big E. coli O157:H7 outbreak?

1. There are up to 75 cases and 1 death so far, most linked to McDonald’s, but we expect those numbers to continue to rise. 
   • The most recent illness started on October 10th, and cases are in 13 states as of Friday morning, with a large percentage in Colorado.
2. It’s possibly linked to slivered yellow onions from one Taylor Farms facility in Colorado. 
   • U.S. Foods, a major distributor, also recalled whole peeled and diced Taylor Farms onions.
   • McDonald’s has pulled slivered onions and Quarter Pounder burgers in their stores. Other brands, including YUM and Restaurant Brands, which owns Burger King, have pulled onions from select stores. 
3. There’s still a chance that it’s linked to burgers. 
   • We have not seen confirmation at this time that any diced yellow onions have actually tested positive. 
   • It can take up to 5 days for E. coli tests to come back from the lab, so more information is pending. 
4. Plan for increased guest complaints - but know that it may just be noise. 
   • As patrons have an increased awareness of foodborne illness and concern about their safety, they’re more likely to complain. 
   • They also might be more likely to go get tested at a doctor or hospital, so an increase in real positive tests is possible. 
5. We expect an uptick in false-alarm E. coli tests linked to UTIs. 
   • Non-STEC E. coli is an incredibly common bacteria that causes urinary tract infections. 
   • We regularly hear of false-alarm E. coli positive employees who actually just got a urine test. 
     • This is compounded by a pandemic-era law that gives patients access to their digital test results immediately before the doc weighs in. 
   • Be sure to ask what kind of test they took - if it’s urine, it’s not a concern and likely a UTI. If it was a stool test, this is what we’re concerned about. 
6. Beware of off-contract purchasing if you pull recalled onions (or ground beef, for that matter!).
   • There’s always a risk during a major recall that entrepreneurial managers run out to their local grocer or big box store to grab more of a product that they had to toss in a recall. 
   • It’s a good opportunity to remind managers not to buy items outside of your purchasing protocols or without a contract!
7. Consider purchasing whole produce instead of processed.
   • Processing produce creates additional steps, which can mean more risk for large-scale outbreaks. 
   • Washing and cutting whole produce on-site introduces potential health issues from employees, like when a prep cook forgets to wash their hands after using the bathroom - but a much smaller group is impacted if foodborne illness occurs. 
   • Costs, prep time, and risk should all be balanced when deciding whether to change your produce prep strategy. 

_{Sources: CDC, NPR, NBC, Bloomberg}

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What can we tell guests who call us concerned about E. coli?

Here are some bullet points you can pick and choose to use as guidance for your own talking points for concerned guests. Some of these may be true for you, and others may not, so be sure to modify based on your unique situation:

• Thank you for calling to share your symptoms. I hope you’re feeling better! 
• The health and safety of our employees and our guests are always our top priority.
• We are aware of a large E. coli outbreak linked to McDonald’s Quarter Pounders. This outbreak is not linked to our restaurants or guests. 
• We have no reports of illness from other guests or staff. 
• This outbreak appears isolated to states in the Mountain West - most cases are in Colorado and Nebraska. 
• Either:
  • We don’t use the onions or ground beef that are linked to this outbreak.
    • OR, if you do:
  • We have already pulled all of the recalled Taylor Farms slivered yellow onions from every location.
• Contact your personal care provider for medical advice.

_{Sources: ZHH, CDC}

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Best Read:

The reality of processed and pre-prepared foods is that they increase risk for foodborne illness. With this week’s E. coli and Listeria outbreaks, it begs the question - should we be relying less on prepared foods?  

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The Dilemma at the Center of McDonald’s E. Coli Outbreak - The Atlantic

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