KC Health Department Investigating Coronavirus Outbreak At Westport Bar

From the City of Kansas City:

September 11, 202

The Kansas City Health Department is investigating an outbreak of COVID-19 linked to employees and patrons at Westport Ale House, 4128 Broadway Blvd.

On Wednesday, Sept. 9, the health department went on site to observe and talk to management after receiving complaints about mask and capacity violations. At that time, management told health department investigators they had only two cases among their staff.

That number has now grown to at least seven employees. The first tested positive on August 19.

The health department has investigated two of the seven cases but has been unable to investigate all because calls have not been returned.

Because of this, it is unclear if these employees continued to work while they waited for their test results or if they were working prior to their symptoms, when they also could have been transmitting the virus.

The health department also discovered during separate investigations that two Kansas City residents with COVID-19 visited Westport Ale House on Aug. 29. They were there with seven colleagues who came to Kansas City for a business trip. They told disease investigators that the seven colleagues flew back to their respective states Aug. 30 or 31.

The health department asks everyone in the Kansas City community to check their voicemail for messages from the health department and please return our calls.

Disease investigators also ask anyone who visited Westport Ale House between Aug. 18 and Sept 11, to quarantine for 14 days and/or call the health department at 816-513-6152 if you begin experiencing symptoms or have tested positive for COVID-19.

This press release was produced by the City of Kansas City. The views expressed here are the author’s own.