FDA: 12 New E. coli Illnesses Linked to Chicken Wraps, Total Hits 50

Twelve more people have fallen ill with dangerous bacteria linked to chicken wraps. The Food and Drug Administration released this update on Friday, pushing the total count of infections in this specific outbreak to 50. That number represents a sharp jump of 32 percent from just one week ago. It also doubles the figure recorded back on September 23 when investigators first announced they were digging into the problem.

These patients are carrying E. coli strain O157:H7. This bug causes severe intestinal infections and can damage kidneys. The same strain caused a massive McDonald's recall in 2024, an event that ended with one death and 34 hospitalizations. Officials have not yet confirmed the exact source of this new outbreak, but multi-ingredient chicken wraps remain the primary suspect. Health departments say those specific wraps are no longer available in US stores because they have passed their sell-by dates.

Tracing efforts are now active to see if any ingredients from these wraps ended up in other products that might still be sitting on shelves. The agency has not shared details about which brand of chicken wraps caused the trouble, where patients got sick, or how many required hospitalization. They also did not reveal exactly which ingredient inside the wrap was contaminated.

The FDA says it collected samples for testing and is conducting inspections to find more cases. It remains unclear what specific part of the food made people ill. For context, in 2024 testing on McDonald's quarter-pounders showed sliced onions were the contaminated item. The burger chain stopped serving onions temporarily until they found a clean supply.

Right now, the FDA is monitoring seven separate foodborne outbreaks across the United States. This chicken wrap case ranks as the second largest after an outbreak involving 116 people sickened with salmonella. That other source has not been identified yet either. People catch E. coli by eating contaminated food or drinking unsafe water. Common triggers include undercooked meat, raw milk, unpasteurized juice, and leafy greens.

Early signs of infection usually show up as abdominal cramps, watery diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, and fever. Some patients develop bloody diarrhea and dehydration, which can be fatal in rare cases. With the O157:H7 strain, there is a higher risk of hemolytic uremic syndrome, a kidney complication that can last a lifetime for about five to 10 percent of victims. Anyone can get infected, though children under five, adults over 65, and those with weakened immune systems face greater danger.

About 75,000 to 90,000 Americans contract the O157:H7 strain every year, leading to roughly 100 deaths annually. Sometimes an infection clears up in just a few days without medical help. When symptoms drag on, doctors may prescribe antibiotics or start intravenous drips to replace lost fluids.