A "cluster outbreak" is responsible for Spokane County seeing double-digit increases in cases for five days in a row, according to the Spokane Regional Health District.
According to SRHD spokesperson Kelli Hawkins, the outbreak was among a specific group of people and health officials aren't worried about seeing community spread from the cluster. "We have seen a spike, but the most important thing is that's not community spread," Hawkins said. "We have a contained cluster that our contact tracers are investigating."
Hawkins says some of the new cases were related to the Philadelphia Macaroni Company factory outbreak in Spokane.
The Philadelphia Macaroni Company factory in Spokane announced on Friday night that 24 employees have tested positive for the novel coronavirus, leading the facility to be shut down for disinfecting and employee testing.