Virus spread during Mardi Gras?

At least four people in three different southeast states – Arkansas, Tennessee and Texas - have tested positive for the new coronavirus (COVID-19). All four had been in New Orleans for Mardi Gras season, according to those states’ health officials. The announcements gave credence to widespread fears that COVID-19 was potentially circulating in the city during Carnival in February. Arkansas Department of Health officials said their state’s first patient presumed to have COVID-19 “likely” contracted it during a trip to New Orleans for Carnival. The Shelby County, Tenn., Health Department said two people in close contact tested positive after their trip. Montgomery County, Texas, Public Health District said a woman in her 40s is presumed positive after her trip. Officials in Tennessee and Texas did not say whether they believed the patients were infected while in NOLA. Arkansas health spokesperson Meg Mirivel said her office’s statement was backed by its investigation into the recent movements of the resident of Pine Bluff, but declined to elaborate to NOLA.com. The patient later had contact with four other people who have since tested positive, pending confirmation, including a medical trainee who is a resident at two hospitals, according to Dr. Nathaniel Smith, Arkansas’ secretary of health. Coronavirus symptoms start appearing an average of five days after exposure. About 97.5 percent of patients show symptoms within the first 11½ days, according to a recent study at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. Fat Tuesday was 16 days ago. Nineteen people have tested presumptive positive in Louisiana as of March 12. Fifteen in New Orleans; and two in Jefferson Parish. Gov. John Bel Edwards said the numbers indicate it is being “community spread” rather than because of travel (to Asia or Europe). All presumed positive test results await confirmation from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (Source: NOLA.com 03/12/20) https://www.nola.com/news/coronavirus/article_5520eb74-64b6-11ea-b198-d371791e8985.html?1584055665631&utm_medium=notification&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=desktop_push