Tri-Cities COVID cases linked to superspreader wedding in Ritzville

KENNEWICK — The Tri-Cities area has had at least four COVID-19 cases directly linked to a Ritzville wedding that turned into a superspreader event, say health offiials.

There could be more, but many people reached by public health contract tracers deny they had contact with anyone outside their household or will not take the call, according to the Benton Franklin Health District.

On Nov. 7 more than 300 people attended a wedding in an airplane hanger in a rural area of Eastern Washington north of the Tri-Cities between Ritzville and Moses Lake, even though at the time wedding receptions were limited by state order to just 30 guests.

The reception turned into a superspreader event with more than 40 cases in Grant and Adams counties linked to it as of Nov. 17. Most of the cases were in Grant County and its health district has not returned more recent calls from the Herald requesting an update.

Two COVID outbreaks in Grant County were linked to guests at the wedding or those they infected as of last week. One was a school district and the other was a long-term care home. The names of the facilities were not released by the Grant County Health District.

Tighter restrictions announced at the start of last week by Gov. Jay Inslee prohibit indoor wedding receptions and limit wedding ceremonies to 30 people.

Wedding organizers are asked to keep a list of everyone who attends ceremonies to help public health officials in case anyone at the event is diagnosed with COVID so they can keep from spreading the virus unknowingly to others.