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Nearly 150 employees at a Costco in Washington tested positive for COVID-19, an ongoing investigation by the Yakima Health District revealed.
The Yakima Health District revealed its findings on Tuesday after testing site-wide at the site in Union Gap, the Yakima Herald reported.
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All 145 people who tested positive are currently in quarantine, the health department announced in an updated news release on Tuesday. The store will also continuously provide site-wide testing for its employees as it monitors the outbreak.
However, the store will remain open while officials continue to investigate the ‘sharp increase’ in cases.
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After the number of cases was checked and when it took place, officials say there is evidence that the outbreak was the result of some sort of a superspreader event. ‘
Last week, the Yakima Health District announced that it was working with the wholesale club to investigate the outbreak, after at least 68 employees tested positive just before Christmas.
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However, when officials visited the site on December 23, they “concluded that no increased risk of COVID-19 was being transmitted to the public as long as staff and customers continued to follow safety precautions,” he said. Larry Jecha said. , interim health officer at Yakima Health District, said last week.
Costco has begun conducting widespread testing of employees according to the Yakima Health District due to the ‘large number of infected employees’.
For site-wide testing, each employee is tested regardless of whether he or she has been identified as having close contact with a positive COVID-19 case.
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When a major outbreak occurs, the Yakima Health District’s COVID-19 Outbreak Response Team monitors the company to gather information about which department the employees involved work in and when they are tested positive.
Health officials will then determine the appropriate next steps for the business based on various factors, including whether there is an increased risk to the community, if the business can demonstrate compliance with COVID-19 safety measures and if there is evidence of ongoing transmission.
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Yakima County, where the store is located, has seen a significant increase in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. To date, the country has reported more than 18,100 confirmed cases.
Despite this, provincial officials have not recommended that businesses close due to COVID-19 infection among its staff.
Costco representatives did not immediately respond to FOX Business’ request for comment.