‘Students have been attending, throwing ‘COVID-19 parties’ to spread virus in US state’

INQUIRER.net Stock Photo

College students who know they are infected with the novel coronavirus have been attending and throwing parties in the city of Tuscaloosa in Alabama, USA, to intentionally spread the virus, it was reported.

The city’s fire chief, Randy Smith, confirmed that the infected students have been partying for the last few weeks, as per ABC-affiliate WBMA-LD yesterday, July 1.

Authorities made the disturbing discovery after investigating what started as rumors about the students’ activities amid the pandemic.

“We had seen over the last few weeks parties going on in the county, or throughout the city and county in several locations where students or kids would come in with known positives,” Smith was quoted as saying.

“We thought that was kind of a rumor at first….we did some additional research….not only did the doctor’s offices help confirm it but the state confirmed they also had the same information,” he added.

Other than attending these events, City Councilor Sonya McKinstry noted that the students were throwing “COVID-19 parties” as part of a contest to find out who would be infected first, as per ABC News earlier today, July 2.

McKinstry added that the organizers of these parties were specifically inviting those infected with the virus, which has so far killed more than 127,000 and infected over 2.6 million people in the US alone.

“They put money in a pot and they try to get COVID. Whoever gets COVID first gets the pot. It makes no sense,” McKinstry was quoted as saying. “They’re intentionally doing it.”

The US currently has the highest number of COVID-19 infections and deaths in the world. Globally, 10,458,422 COVID-19 cases have been confirmed, while 511,082 people have died due to the disease. Ian Biong /ra

RELATED STORIES:

Elderly couple die of COVID-19 minutes apart, holding hands

Study confirms key symptoms to look out for in COVID-19 cases