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The number of illnesses linked to the E. coli outbreak at McDonald's rises to 75, according to the CDC

At least 75 people have fallen ill after eating McDonald's Quarter Pounders linked to a deadly strain of E. coli. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported this on Friday.

The 75 cases, up from 49 on Tuesday, were reported in 13 states. Of the 20, 22 people were hospitalized. The CDC said Tuesday that one person had died and reported no new deaths Friday.

The increase in cases of the disease, which are older cases, was expected because it can take several weeks for investigators to link illnesses to an outbreak of food poisoning. The most recent case was on October 10th.

The sick people were between 13 and 88 years old. Most of them are men. According to the CDC, two people, including a teenager, were hospitalized with a serious kidney disease called hemolytic uremic syndrome, which can lead to permanent kidney failure or even death.

The number of cases is likely much higher than reported because most people with E. coli infections recover on their own and are never tested for the bacteria.

E. coli symptoms — which include vomiting, diarrhea and a fever of at least 102 degrees — generally begin three to four days after eating contaminated food.

The Food and Drug Administration and the CDC have identified the onion slices served on the hamburgers as a likely source of contamination. although health officials have not ruled out the beef patties used in the Quarter Pounders.

On Thursday, McDonald's confirmed that Taylor Farms, a California-based food producer, supplied the onions for the contaminated Quarter Pounders.

Taylor Farms recalled four raw onion products Wednesday due to “potential E. coli contamination.” Several restaurant chains in Colorado — including Taco Bell, Burger King, KFC, Pizza Hut and Illegal Pete's — said they removed onions from their menus out of an abundance of caution following the recall. The FDA said restaurant chains that received the recalled onions were notified directly. There is no evidence of illness associated with these restaurants.

McDonald's has removed the offending onion slices and Quarter Pounder patties from its restaurants in at least 12 states: Colorado, Kansas, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho, Iowa, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico and Oklahoma.

It remains unclear whether Taylor Farms transported the sliced ​​onions directly to McDonald's locations or whether they arrived through a distributor. Taylor Farms did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

McDonald's is being sued by two people who said they became ill after eating there.

The plaintiffs in the two lawsuits are both represented by Ron Simon, managing partner of Ron Simon & Associates, a food safety law firm. Simon told NBC News on Thursday that he represents a total of 15 people who say they became ill in the outbreak.

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