There’s nothing quite like treating yourself to a classic Egg McMuffin, is there? Sure, it might not be the healthiest breakfast option in the world–it is McDonald’s after all!— but that doesn’t mean the breakfast sandwich isn’t a savory comfort food that tastes good every, single time you order it.

Usually, it’s the consistency that makes people come back for more! But reports coming out of New York state are saying that a batch of these egg-filled wonders is anything but comforting.

That is unless you think food poisoning is comforting…

Nope, didn’t think so!

According to information released by the New York State Department of Health and the Chautauqua County Department of Health, a whopping 22 individuals have become sick after eating at a Jamestown McDonald’s. These instances occurred between the dates of August 4th-21st.

The McDonald’s patrons have become ill with food poisoning symptoms, such as vomiting, diarrhea, the chills, and severe nausea. Out of the 22 individuals, 15 said that they had dined on breakfast sandwiches before getting sick.

Upon receiving the reports, the State and County contacted the McDonald’s franchise owner and implemented a list of recommendations, all of which have been followed. This includes a temporary closing of the establishment to perform a comprehensive food safety review, a review of the food preparation and food distribution process with the McDonald’s staff, obtaining a fresh supply of ingredients before re-opening, and a follow-up meeting with the Chautauqua County Department of Health.

Clearly, everyone is taking the right precautions to guarantee that this never happens again. But, what makes this story still a bit of a mystery is the fact that preliminary testing performed at an Albany lab showed the food to not be containing anything that would cause illness. It’s a bit confounding, but these are preliminary tests, so we’ll have to wait and see!

What to do if you believe you’ve gotten food poisoning from a store or restaurant

Unless you happen to live in the Chautauqua County area or you were visiting the area recently, chances are this story doesn’t worry you all that much. Having said that, we’re willing to bet that it IS triggering some pretty painful food poisoning memories of your own!

According to the CDC, an incredible 48 million Americans get food poisoning each year, with roughly 128,000 of them requiring hospitalization and 3,000 of them succumbing to the foodborne illnesses. These are scary statistics, but they are also ones that should inspire you to alert someone if you do, in fact, think that you are suffering from food poisoning.

Most people feel better after a day or two and, clearly, many don’t require hospitalization, but you must still recognize that everyone’s body is different. If you are a relatively young, healthy person, for instance, you might be able to withstand bacteria that a pregnant woman, an elderly individual, a child, or a chronically ill person can’t.

So, what’s the lesson here? REPORT IT!

If you are seeking care from a doctor or hospital, make sure that you recount all of the things you ate that day. They will be the ones who file the report with the county and/or state in that case. In situations where you don’t need medical help, contact your local agency. Conversely, if you have reason to believe that there is a problem with food, for instance, a grocery store is selling tainted food, report it to the proper federal agency.

Doing your part will keep everyone safer, healthier, and happier!

What are your thoughts on these food poisoning allegations? Have you ever suffered from food poisoning from eating at McDonald’s? If so, what did you do?