Multi-County COVID-19 Outbreak Linked To Gorge Music Festival

GEORGE, WA — Health officials in Grant County are sounding the alarm about a recent music festival that has been linked to a cluster of COVID-19 outbreaks across Western Washington.

The Grant County Health District says at least 160 coronavirus infections have been traced back to the Watershed Music Festival, held in George, Washington earlier this month.

Cases linked to that festival have been logged in King, Grant, Pierce, Skagit, Kittitas, Okanogan, Whatcom, Kitsap, San Juan, Lincoln and Stevens counties, plus at least one case in an Oregon resident, the health district said.

"We expect more cases to be confirmed in the coming days,” said Laina Mitchell, the communicable disease coordinator for the Grant County Health District. “The outbreak is the first one traced to an outdoor entertainment event since the lifting of statewide COVID-19 prevention measures at the end of June.”

The Grant County Health District says it has contacted state officials and other health partners in an attempt to track down people who may have attended the festival. Anyone who attended the three-day festival at any point between July 30 and Aug. 1 is being asked to enter self-quarantine until they can take a COVID-19 test.

The cluster of outbreaks is especially concerning because they occurred at a largely-outdoor event. Doctors have long said that the coronavirus spreads much less effectively outside enclosed spaces, and state COVID-19 safety regulations regarding large events are generally much looser for outdoor gatherings.

KREM 2 asked Gov. Jay Inslee's office if this outbreak might change how outdoor gatherings are regulated. They said they're looking into it.

“We are deeply concerned about this," said Tara Lee, a spokesperson for Inslee's office. "The rise in cases all over the state, including from large events, definitely impacts our thinking.”

The Watershed Music Festival did not require proof of vaccination, though the event's website strongly encourages visitors to get vaccinated, and asked unvaccinated attendees to wear masks when not eating or drinking. Now, a similar message is coming from the local health district:

"Grant County Health District continues to encourage vaccinations as the most reliable method of suppressing and eventually controlling COVID-19 in our communities," the agency said. "Masking and social distancing as much as possible during this time of surging cases and hospitalizations is still recommended to help reduce further spread."