New coronavirus cluster in California city due to party

Officials in Pasadena, Calif., announced this week that they traced a cluster of coronavirus cases to a birthday party that was held after a stay-at-home guidance was issued in the city.  

The party was held on March 19, the same day that the “Safer-at-Home” order was issued, and attendees did not wear face coverings or practice social distancing by remaining six feet apart, according to a Saturday statement from city officials.

The first person identified to have the disease in the cluster was coughing at the party and did not wear a face mask. 

“One person showed up to the party exhibiting symptoms and joking she may have the virus,” Lisa Derderian, spokeswoman for the city of Pasadena, told the Los Angeles Times.

“The aftermath affected several others who became seriously ill because of one person’s negligent and selfish behavior.” 

The city said that its public health department “discovered more than five laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases and many more ill individuals,” through contact tracing in the Saturday statement.

Contact tracing involves “identifying individuals who may have come into contact with an infected person and collecting information about these contacts,” the city explained.

“Pasadena residents who stay home keep themselves and their loved ones protected from COVID-19,” said Dr. Ying-Ying Goh, director and health officer of the Pasadena Public Health Department said in the Saturday statement.

“Although we are moving forward with small modifications to the Safer at Home Order, gatherings of people who do not live in the same household are still prohibited. The virus remains highly contagious. Social distancing, frequent hand washing, and wearing face coverings remain our best defenses against the further spread of COVID-19 in our community.”

City officials warned that, as Mother’s Day approaches, people should maintain social distancing and remain at home as much as possible amid the ongoing pandemic.

Over 65,000 coronavirus cases have been confirmed in California, and 2,681 people have died as a result of the disease.