Covid infects 150 costco employees at 1 store, but staying open.
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https://www.foxbusiness.com/retail/washington-state-costco-employees-infected-covid-19#&_intcmp=hp1r_27,hp1rCoronavirus infects nearly 150 Costco employees at Washington state store, location to remain open
68 employees tested positive right before Christmas, officials said
By Daniella GenoveseFOXBusiness
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Fox Business Flash top headlines for December 30
Nearly 150 employees at a Costco in Washington have tested positive for COVID-19, an ongoing investigation by the Yakima Health District revealed.
The Yakima Health District revealed its findings on Tuesday after conducting site-wide testing at the location in Union Gap, the Yakima Herald reported.
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All 145 people that tested positive are currently quarantining, the health department announced in an updated news release Tuesday. The store will also continue to provide ongoing 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 reviewing the number of cases and when they occurred, officials say there is evidence that the outbreak resulted from "some sort of superspreader event."
Last week, the Yakima Health District announced it was working with the wholesale club to investigate the outbreak after at least 68 employees tested positive right before Christmas.
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However, when officials conducted an on-site visit on Dec. 23, they "concluded that there was not an increased risk of COVID-19 transmission to the public so long as staff and customers continue to follow safety precautions,” Dr. Larry Jecha, interim health officer at the Yakima Health District, said last week.
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Costco began conducting widespread testing of employees as directed by the Yakima Health District due to the "large number of infected employees."
For site-wide testing, every employee, regardless of whether they were identified as being in close contact with a positive COVID-19 case, is tested.
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When a large outbreak occurs, the Yakima Health District’s COVID-19 Outbreak Response team also follows up with the company to gather information on which department the affected employees worked and when they tested positive.
Health officials will then determine the appropriate next steps for the business based on several factors, including whether there is an increased risk to the community, if the business can demonstrate that it is complying with COVID-19 safety precautions 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 over the last few weeks. To date, the county has reported more than 18,100 confirmed cases.
Despite this, county officials have not recommended that any businesses close due to COVID-19 infection among its staff.
Representatives for Costco did not immediately respond to FOX Business' request for comment.
