An outbreak of Costco COVID’s “superextension”: At least 145 workers at a Washington mega-shop contract the virus and health officials warn they could become even more infected
- At least 145 employees at a Union Gap, Washington Costco, have tested positive for COVID-19, officials said Tuesday
- The store, which employs 383 people, will remain open despite the outbreak
- Officials say they are unaware of the cause of the outbreak, but the rise “mimics the type of activity that happens after a type of superspar event”
- Officials say the number of infections rose rapidly from 68 on Thursday to 145 on Monday and say more cases are likely to arise.
At least 145 employees of a Costco store in Washington state have hired COVID-19 in a massive outbreak that officials say is similar to a “superextension event.”
Infections at the Union Gap location, which employs 383 people, were first reported on Tuesday after tests were carried out across the warehouse.
Yakima County health officials said the increase in cases “mimics the type of activity that happens after a kind of overextension event in which several people are infected at the same time.”
Now officials are trying to figure out how the outbreak began.
An outbreak of COVID-19 at a Costco store in Washington state has led to at least 145 employees contracting the virus and the sudden rise in infections is similar to a “super-spreader event,” officials said Tuesday. A view of Union Gap, Washington Costco, where the uprising took place
The Union Gap location employs 383 people and will remain open with coronavirus prevention measures. Costco is one of the stores that is busy with shoppers from all over the pandemic as it sells basic food and commodities. A view of Costco buyers in Vermont last August
Officials say the number of infections rose rapidly from 68 on Thursday to 145 on Monday and say more cases could arise.
“As Costco continues testing across the site, we anticipate that the number of cases will continue to increase over the next few days as the results are received,” said Melissa Sixberry, director of disease control in Yakima County, according to KOMO News .
The store is allowed to remain open despite the outbreak and the 145 workers who tested positive are isolated.
However, officials say the outbreak is not an isolated incident, but reflects an increase in statewide cases.
‘COVID-19 activity levels continue to rise across the county. We need the help of the community to also follow the safety recommendations of COVID-19 in order to keep jobs safe, so we can keep schools safe so that we can stay safe without overwhelming our health system. “said Dr. Larry Jecha, interim health officer of Yakima County, said.
Yakima County recorded a total of 19,281 cases of coronavirus and 314 deaths on Tuesday.
Across the country there have been more than 19 million cases of COVID-19 and more than 342,000 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic.