A Missouri woman’s family who had been told to self-quarantine after she was confirmed to have the coronavirus instead snuck out in order to attend a school dance on March 7.
This resulted in the school canceling classes for Monday.
The woman, who is in her twenties, lives just outside Missouri. She arrived from a trip to Italy on March 2 and was confirmed to have contracted the coronavirus on March 7. Ignoring instructions to self-quarantine, her father and younger sister instead went to a father-daughter dance organized by Villa Duchesne and Oak Hill School, the younger daughter’s school, at the Ritz-Carlton Hotel.
St. Louis County Executive Sam Page said, “The patient’s father did not act consistently with the health department’s instructions. Instead, last night he decided to take his other daughter to a school function.”
“Quarantine means stay in your home,” he added.
When Villa Duchesne, a private school, learned of the incident, they canceled classes for Monday and posted on Facebook, saying they “will use the day to gather information and guidance from health officials” on whether or not they need to stay closed even longer.
The Ritz-Carlton also said they will “perform enhanced cleaning of hotel areas where the event was hosted.”
The St. Louis County Department had formally quarantined the family which would have required them to stay at home for 14 days, starting from the point the patient stops exhibiting symptoms.
Page praised the patient for contacting the coronavirus hotline in order to be voluntarily tested. At the same time, he called out the rest of her family.
“The way the family has reacted to this situation is really a tale of two reactions and a study of how people should and should not react to the coronavirus,” Page said. “The patient had conducted herself responsibly and maturely, and she is to be commended for complying with the health department’s instructions.”
So far, the Missouri patient is the only coronavirus case in the state. At least 545 confirmed cases have been tallied nationwide with 22 deaths.
Last week, a New Hampshire man attended a party at Dartmouth College despite being told to self-quarantine. He tested positive for the coronavirus soon after.
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