COVID-19 cases in Walla Walla County expected to rise sharply

WALLA WALLA—The COVID-19 outbreak in our area has risen sharply over the past week, with 92 confirmed cases in Walla Walla County as of May 5 at 11 a.m. This is an increase of 35 cases from April 27.

Walla Walla County experienced the first loss of life to the virus, when it was reported that a hospitalized local man passed away on May 4. He was in his late 70s with underlying health conditions.

The Tyson Fresh Meats, Inc. plant in Wallula, WA is among many other agribusiness plants across the country who are seeing spikes of the infection. With 1,273 workers tested, and 253 total positives, that brings the infection rate of the Tyson workforce to 18 percent.

Ten individuals who tested positive reside in Walla Walla County, with the bulk of the workers residing in Benton and Franklin and Umatilla counties. 

In a joint press release, Tyson and the Walla Walla County Department of Community Health (DCH) announced the plant will resume limited production at the beef facility on Tuesday, May 5.

Only Tyson employees who tested negative for the virus will be able to return to work, those who tested positive will return to work once they have met the criteria outlined by the CDC. Employees who have not been tested yet will be unable to return to work, and all new hires will be tested prior to starting work. “The health and safety of our team members is our top priority,” said Shane Miller, senior vice president and general manager beef enterprise. 

Additional protective measures that follow CDC and OSHA’s guidance at the plant include the following:

• The use of infrared thermometers to check the temperature of team members before they enter company facilities. 

• Supplying of protective facial coverings to every team member and requiring they are utilized. • Required use of face shields for team members where workstation barriers can’t physically be implemented. 

• Wellness checks to screen for symptoms, such as coughing and shortness of breath. 

• Additional dedicated social distance monitors stationed throughout the facility during all shifts to ensure team members are adhering to safety protocols and social distancing requirements.

In addition to the outbreak at the Tyson plant, a press release dated May 4, 2020 from Walla Walla DCH states that they “are receiving reports of COVID-19 parties occurring in our community, where noninfected people mingle with an infected person in an effort to catch the virus.”

DCH Director, Megan DeBolt, stated that in her investigative team’s efforts in contact tracing cases were identified where infected individuals had contact with multiple people who may have been involved in these “COVID -19 parties”.

In a phone call with Walla Walla Police Chief Scott Bieber stated that he is looking into the matter. “We are waiting to hear back from the Health Department for names and phone numbers, once we get names and phone numbers we’re going to do some follow up  investigation with some of the people who tested positive. If there were some intentional violations, we will send those over to the city attorney and ask they be summoned in on criminal charges for violating the Governor’s orders.”

In a follow-up email Bieber wrote that he had spoken with DeBolt Tuesday.

“After some follow up on their part, she was able to determine that the people in question attended a birthday party where they were unintentionally exposed to COVID.  It was NOT a COVID-19 party to try to get infected – just an inadvertent exposure.  Although, they shouldn’t have really even been attending a birthday party.

 “I think it’s fairly reckless of them,” he added, in regard to the partygoers.

DCH officials strongly recommend the public remain vigilant with physical distancing to limit community transmission of the virus. 

They advise the public to “Stay at least six feet from other people, do not gather in groups, and cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when you must go out in public.

If you are sick and plan to seek care, please call before going in for care so arrangements can be made to prevent exposing others. For urgent medical needs, call 911. For non-urgent needs and questions, you can call 211 or our COVID-19 hotline at (509) 524-2647.