New York: 'Sweet 16' party turns into a COVID-19 'superspreader' event

It's understandable to want to party or arrange a get together in times of the pandemic but it's another matter to go ahead with it. What can start as a cozy affair and chitchats may soon turn into something else altogether if any of the invitees are infected with coronavirus. A similar thing happened in Suffolk County in New York. A 16th birthday party turned into a 'superspreader' event as dozens of attendees contracted coronavirus.

The party took place on September 25 at plush Miller Place Inn on Long Island. It was attended by over 80 people and 37 were left infected with coronavirus. This is not all, more than 270 people had to be quarantined.

"We've never seen a super-spreader event like this before in Suffolk County," tweeted the area's county executive on Wednesday.

"People have to act responsibly so that we do not have another economic setback."

New York state has largely kept coronavirus under control in recent months after 33,000 residents died from the virus, mainly in the spring.

But in recent weeks, infections have multiplied in some areas, especially in neighbourhoods with large Orthodox Jewish populations.

Governor Andrew Cuomo closed non-essential businesses and capped places of worship at ten people in the so-called red zones.

New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio defended the measures on Thursday, citing tightened restrictions in Europe where cases are on the rise.

"If for a few weeks we're asking people to do something exceptional to help stop a problem from growing and stop it from spreading, I think that's fair," he said.

(With AFP inputs)