Employees at a Costco in Yakima, Washington, are quarantining in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19 due to a superspreader event at the store.
The Yakima Health District (YHD) is investigating the outbreak that has so far infected 145 employees, and the store has conducted site-wide testing, according to a Tuesday press release.
Site-wide testing involves an organization providing COVID-19 tests to all of its employees regardless of whether or not they are identified as an initial close contact to a positive coronavirus case.
The Costco will conduct site-wide testing each week, according to YHD Interim Health Officer Dr. Larry Jecha. (RELATED: Man Grabs Megaphone, Climbs On Top Of Pants Table In COSTCO To Announce COVID-19 Conspiracy Theory)
“Weekly site-wide testing will ensure that any new cases that occur, will be promptly identified, and those staff members will also be directed to isolate and quarantine,” he said. “This, in addition to ensuring that Costco, and its shoppers, continue to follow the proper COVID-19 safety precautions, will mitigate the risk of potential COVID-19 infections.”
Customers wait in line to buy water and other supplies, on fears that the coronavirus, COVID-19, will spread and force people to stay indoors, at a Costco in Burbank, California on March 6, 2020.(Photo by Robyn BECK / AFP) (Photo by ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images)
Site-wide testing is anticipated to reveal even more COVID-19 cases at the Costco, YHD Director of Disease Control Melissa Sixberry said. Cases have steadily increased across the nation.
“As Costco continues its site wide testing, we anticipate the number of cases to continue to go up over the next few days as results are received,” she stated.
Yakima is seeing “record high hospitalizations” this week according to the release.