A 300-person wedding in Washington State has been linked to dozens of coronavirus cases and the deaths of seven care home residents in the area, none of whom attended the wedding.
A reported seven care home residents, aged between 70 and 90, have died after staff members at the facility attended the November 7 wedding.
At the time the wedding was held, indoor ceremonies in Washington State were limited to 50 people.
In an announcement, the Grant County Health District explained that residents were staying at three care homes in Grant County, Washington, and all seven had underlying health conditions. There were also three other deaths not associated with the Long Term Care Facilities
“Our investigations have determined that there were long term care staff who tested positive for COVID-19 who attended the large wedding in Ritzville, WA reported on November 16. Because staff in these facilities care for entire units, direct contact with associated patients is not known. Our most vulnerable community members — elderly, immunocompromised, and those with chronic conditions — are especially at risk of complications due to a COVID-19 infection and we must continue to take measures to protect them from this disease.
“The best way to do that is by staying home as much as possible. Your choice to gather with those outside your household could lead to additional cases of COVID-19 and even death. Please protect those you love by staying home,” they concluded.
