COVID-19 outbreak tied to four South Sound wrestling tournaments
The Washington State Department of Health is investigating multiple COVID-19 outbreaks connected to high school wrestling tournaments. Per a news release, the number of cases linked to the events is about 80-90, but as this investigation is ongoing, the total might change.
Three of the cases so far have tested positive for the Omicron variant.
The impacted wrestling tournaments all happened on Dec. 4, 2021:
- John Birbeck Invitational in Lacey
- Ed Arima Duals in Sumner
- Lady Jags Kickoff Tournament in Puyallup
- Yelm Girls Varsity in Yelm
Counties that had high schools in attendance include Clark, Cowlitz, Grays Harbor, King, Kitsap, Lewis, Mason, Skagit, Snohomish, Pierce, Thurston, Whatcom and Yakima. A high school in Oregon also sent participants.
Over the coming days, local health jurisdictions likely will send out notifications to the impacted schools with further guidance for next steps. DOH recommends that anyone who attended the events as a participant, coach, official, support staff or spectator should monitor for symptoms and get tested for COVID-19. Further, anyone with symptoms or who tests positive should stay home from work, school, child care or social activities.
COVID outbreaks were fairly common during the high school fall sports season, causing teams to have to quarantine and miss up to two weeks of action, but the number of participants and teams involved in tournaments present a greater risk of a COVID-19 outbreak. Masking is required for spectators attending indoor K-12 sporting activities, regardless of vaccination status. The full guidelines for athletics are detailed in a 23-page document on the DOH site.
Unvaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel identified as close contacts should quarantine immediately, even if they recently had a negative test. Unvaccinated close contacts are recommended to get tested immediately and at 5-7 days post-exposure while they quarantine.
Fully vaccinated athletes, coaches, athletic trainers and other support personnel identified as close contacts do not need to quarantine but should be tested 5-7 days following a known exposure to someone with suspected or confirmed COVID-19 and wear a mask for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate and follow appropriate guidance if they test positive.
A team of DOH epidemiologists, in collaboration with local health jurisdiction epidemiologists, is working on gathering more information about these events and the corresponding COVID-19 cases.
Health officials on Wednesday said three of the cases were of the Omicron variant, which the state Department of Health verified and noted more could be determined soon as the variant.
Dr. Scott Lindquist is the state epidemiologist for communicable diseases with the state DOH. Speaking to reporters Wednesday afternoon, he said photos and videos of one event showed protocols not followed.
“There were a ton of people in indoor spaces crowded into bleachers not wearing masks. So I can say clearly: No, guidance was not being followed and we would really hope at this point anyone who was at one of these events ... that people should get tested at this point.”
The News Tribune’s Debbie Cockrell contributed to this report.
This story was originally published December 15, 2021 at 11:10 AM.
