CDC: 2 Family Gatherings Led To Widespread COVID-19 Cases In Chicago

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that two family gatherings led to community transmission of COVID-19.

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In February and March 2020, the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) investigated a large, multifamily cluster of COVID-19.

A new report from the CDC found 16 novel coronavirus cases, including three deaths, linked to two family gatherings.

Those family gatherings were a funeral and a birthday party.

In February 2020, a funeral was held for someone who died with a non-COVID-19, nonrespiratory cause of death. A close friend of the bereaved family attended the funeral.

The CDC reports that the friend had recently traveled out of state and was experiencing mild respiratory symptoms.

It wasn't until after the funeral that he was tested as part of the epidemiologic investigation and received a diagnosis of confirmed COVID-19.

The evening before the funeral, the friend shared a takeout meal and ate from common serving dishes with two family members of the person who died at their home.

The CDC reports that the friend embraced several family members while sharing condolences.

The virus spread throughout many of the family members from there , leading to hospitalizations and three deaths.

Included in the CDC's report is an instance where one of the family members that was hospitalized was visited and embraced by another family member who wasn't wearing any personal protective equipment.

Three days after the funeral, the friend who had recently traveled out of state attended a birthday party while experiencing mild respiratory symptoms.

There was close contact between the friend and several of the family members at the party, as well as shared food.

Seven birthday party attendees ended up developing COVID-19.

Three symptomatic birthday party attendees with probable COVID-19 attended church six days after developing their first symptoms, according to the CDC.

Another church attendee developed confirmed COVID-19 following close contact with the family members, including direct conversations, sitting within one row for 90 minutes, and passing the offering plate.

The patients described in the report ranged in age from 5 to 86 years.

The CDC says the data from the report shows the importance of social distancing for preventing COVID-19 transmission, even within families.

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