State probes illness outbreak from cheerleading contest

YAKIMA, Wash. — The state Department of Health is investigating an illness outbreak centered at a statewide cheerleading competition held in Everett last weekend.

As of Tuesday evening, 19 of the 50 participating squads had reported illness. It’s not clear how many have been affected. Health officials are still working with the Washington Interscholastic Activities Association to reach out to the groups in attendance.

Selah High School and West Valley High School both sent teams to the competition. Selah assistant superintendent Chris Scacco said one of the school’s cheerleaders had flulike symptoms Sunday night, and another reported a sore throat Tuesday morning, but the school’s cheerleading coach hadn’t heard of any other complaints.

District officials from West Valley couldn’t be reached for comment Tuesday evening.  

The health department doesn’t yet know what the illness is, but symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea, said Tim Church, a department spokesman. He didn’t have any details on duration of the symptoms.

He said some of those who attended Saturday’s competition started experiencing symptoms as early as Sunday, but the health department didn’t hear about it until Monday evening.

More than 3,000 people attended the event, held at Everett’s Comcast Arena, and more than 1,000 participated in the cheerleading, dance and drill competitions, WIAA officials say.

"This could turn out to be quite a large number of people who are sick," Church said. "We’re reaching out to try and get a sense of the scope of it, and get word out to folks ... It’s very likely that there are people out there who are sick and don’t know it’s something other people have."

The department is working with WIAA to send out questionnaires to people who have reported symptoms, to find any common links between those affected.