A high school freshman in Colorado, Kamberlyn Bowler, has been hospitalized with kidney failure, a rare complication of E. coli poisoning. She had eaten McDonald’s Quarter Pounders before falling ill, and at least 75 people across 13 states have been infected with E. coli in an outbreak likely linked to slivered onions served on the burgers. The distributor of the onions, Taylor Farms, has “preemptively recalled” the product.
Kamberlyn’s symptoms started with a fever and stomach pain, eventually leading to kidney failure. She has been diagnosed with HUS, a complication from E. coli attacking the kidneys. Although her kidneys are showing some signs of improvement, the extent of lasting damage remains uncertain. Her mother, Brittany Randall, is focused on her daughter’s recovery and hopes she won’t face further health issues in the future.
McDonald’s has apologized for the outbreak and has pledged to regain customers’ trust. Kamberlyn and her mother plan to sue the fast-food chain, as they believe the company is responsible for her illness. Attorney Ron Simon, representing Kamberlyn and other victims, has received numerous calls related to the outbreak and believes there will be more cases than the reported 75. He hopes the lawsuits will help identify the root cause of the outbreak and prevent similar incidents in the future.
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