Chilling video shot inside surprise birthday party that created coronavirus cluster leaving 18 PEOPLE infected
A CHILLING video has been released that was shot inside a surprise birthday party that created a coronavirus cluster that left 18 people infected.
On May 30, an undiagnosed relative with coronavirus went to a surprise birthday party in Carrollton, Texas, with seven other family members, ABC reported.
The partygoers then contracted the virus and passed it onto another 10 relatives, leaving a total of 18 family members infected with coronavirus.
Among the infected are two young children, two grandparents, a cancer patient and two elderly people in their 80s.
Three of which have been left hospitalized – including Kathy Barbosa, who is suffering from breast cancer.
Kathy’s brother, Ron Barbosa, said that she went to the party and got the virus despite being socially distanced outside on a porch.
However, she is said to be recovering and feeling better even though she contracted the virus while undergoing chemotherapy.
Barbosa’s parents, Frank and Carole, are also in hospital.
Carole is thought to have been infected after she stopped by the party to drop something off – and subsequently gave it to Frank.
The mother was hospitalized on June 13, with Frank arriving just four days later on June 17.
Frank is in the ICU on life support and might be on a ventilator soon, Ron told the outlet.
“My dad’s hanging on by a thread,” he said. “They’re saying this is one of the last straws for my dad.”
Looking back at the party, Barbosa said that, despite everyone doing their best to stay socially distanced, it wasn’t enough.
However, according to the states current health standards, the party “appeared harmless,” as only 25 people attended over the course of the day.
“It wasn’t that long. It was only a couple of hours. But during that brief time, somehow the other 18 family members are now infected with COVID.”
He continued: “When people started getting sick, we really let everyone have it.
“We knew this was going to happen, I mean this whole time this has been going on we’ve been terrified.”
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Texas has seen a rise in coronavirus cases this week – with 4,389 patients currently hospitalized.
“It is snowballing,” said Dr Marc Boom, president of Houston Methodist Hospital. “We will most certainly see more people die as a result of this spike.
“It is possible to open up at a judicious pace and coexist with the virus, but it requires millions and millions of people to do the right thing.”