In-N-Out coronavirus outbreak surges to over 120 employees in Colorado, officials say

More than 120 employees at new In-N-Out Burger locations in Colorado have tested positive for COVID-19 weeks after customers waited in line for hours, according to Colorado outbreak data.

Last week, 80 employees had tested positive for the virus, according to McClatchy News. That number has since grown to 122, the state reported Wednesday.

The fast-food chain opened the restaurants in Aurora and Colorado Springs in late November, McClatchy News reported. Customers waited in miles-long lines for up to 14 hours when the In-N-Out locations first opened.

An outbreak was declared on Dec. 6 for the Colorado Springs location. More than 10 days later, the state deemed an outbreak at the Aurora In-N-Out on Dec. 17.

No customers have reported getting the virus from outbreaks at either location.

The two locations are still open, but are prohibited from having indoor dining options because both counties are “under Colorado’s Level Red restrictions,” The Denver Post reported. All indoor dining is closed during a “Level Red restriction,” but restaurants can offer take out, curbside, delivery or outdoor, open air dining, according to the state.

Denny Warnick, In-N-Out’s vice president of operations, previously told McClatchy News there was a “concerning number of Colorado associates who have tested positive for COVID-19.”

Workers who tested positive for COVID-19 and people who had close contact with them “have been excluded from the workplace,” Warnick said.

“We continue to work closely with our public health agencies and have confirmed the appropriate steps to help protect our communities,” he said.

This story was originally published December 31, 2020 at 7:37 AM with the headline "In-N-Out coronavirus outbreak surges to over 120 employees in Colorado, officials say."