CNN reports that a birthday party was behind a cluster of coronavirus cases in Pasadena, California, according to health officials.
A “large number” of extended family members and friends were at the party, the Pasadena Public Health Department said in a news release, adding the event took place after the city issued a stay-at-home order in March.
One patient at the party was coughing and not wearing a face covering, health officials said, and other party guests were also not covering their face or social distancing.
“As a result, Covid-19 spread among party attendees,” the department said.
Through contact tracing, investigators were able to identify more than five confirmed coronavirus cases from the party and “many more ill individuals,” according to the health department.
(NOTE: Bio-Defense Network is assembling a cadre of public health, nursing and allied health students and recent grads to conduct remote contact tracing on an hourly basis.)
“This is an example of how good contact tracing can identify disease clusters and tell us more about the spread of disease in our community,” said Dr. Matthew Feaster, an epidemiologist with the department.