Texas family’s surprise birthday party leaves 18 relatives infected with Covid-19: 'It was only a couple of hours'
CARROLLTON, TEXAS: A Texas family found themselves facing a health crisis like never before after 18 relatives in the family tested positive for COVID-19 after they all gathered for a surprise birthday party for one of them.
On May 30, a single member of the family, who was unknowingly infected with COVID-19, interacted with seven relatives at a surprise birthday party. After that member tested positive for the virus, it was revealed that 17 other people in the extended family had contracted the virus. As a result, it was deduced that the seven family members who had initially contracted the virus at the party had then spread it to 10 other relatives either at the party or through family interactions, 10 WBNS reported.
Ron Barbosa did not personally attend the party but revealed that the birthday girl was his daughter-in-law who turned 30. He said his nephew, who hosted the party, was the one who was unknowingly infected by the virus. His nephew had developed a slight cough prior to the party but ignored it thinking that it was the result of working in construction. Barbosa is not aware of the progress of the illness with his various relatives.
Before the party began, Barbosa's nephew also proceeded to play golf with his relatives, all of whom also attended the party later. Although there is no way to know if the spread of the virus among his family members was due to the party, Barbosa suspects that it might be the case as everyone failed to maintain social distancing despite trying their best.
A total of 25 people attended the party, which by current state health standards, seemed harmless because it was just family, Barbosa said. However, he added that being married to a doctor, he and his wife chose to give the party a miss because of health concerns. "It wasn't that long. It was only a couple of hours," Barbosa said. "But during that brief time, somehow the other 18 family members are now infected with COVID."
Nevertheless, none of them are playing the blame game, and instead are rallying around each other in the time of need because they care for each other deeply. "When people started getting sick, we really let everyone have it," Barbosa said. "We knew this was going to happen, I mean this whole time this has been going on we've been terrified." Among the people infected are two young children, two grandparents, a cancer patient, and Barbosa's parents, both of whom are in their 80s.
Barbosa said that his parents Frank and Carole, along with his sister Kathy, who is battling breast cancer, have been hospitalized. Kathy did not attend the party. While Kathy is feeling better, despite tackling the virus along with chemotherapies, Barbosa said that his parents, who are high school sweethearts and have been married almost 68 years, are in a graver condition.
He also revealed that it was highly likely that his mother, Carole, infected his father, Frank, after she interacted with a family member outside the party briefly. Carole was hospitalized on June 13, and Frank has been in a hospital since June 17. Barbosa said that his father was already in the ICU and days away from being put on a ventilator. "My dad's hanging on by a thread," Barbosa said. "They're saying this is one of the last straws for my dad."