A surprise birthday party in Texas has resulted in 18 members of the same family testing positive for coronavirus, and one elderly relative fighting for his life in a hospital intensive care unit.
As KHOU 11 reported, the May 30 get-together was in celebration of one member’s 30th birthday, but what was supposed to be a fun-filled day has turned grim after more than half of the 25 guests in attendance contracted the deadly virus.
RELATED STORIES
Ron Barbosa, a volunteer EMT, didn’t attend the party himself which was hosted by his nephew.
That nephew, he told KHOU 11 , had a slight cough before the night of the party, and is believed to have been patient zero for the entire family.
“It wasn’t that long. It was only a couple of hours,” Barbosa said of the celebration. “But during that brief time, somehow the other 18 family members are now infected with COVID.”
The virus could have also spread during a family golf game prior to the party, which the nephew also attended.
Barbosa, whose wife is a medical doctor, said the pair didn’t go to the party themselves but have been keeping track of every relative who has since tested positive for the virus. Right now, that number sits at 18, including two young children, two grandparents, a cancer patient, and Barbosa’s own elderly parents.
“When people started getting sick, we really let everyone have it,” he said. “We knew this was going to happen, I mean this whole time this has been going on we’ve been terrified.”
Barbosa’s sister Kathy has breast cancer, and she tested positive for the virus after the party.
Thankfully, she’s starting to recover now and is reportedly feeling better, but the same unfortunately can’t be said for the siblings’ parents, who remain in the hospital with Frank, their father, struggling in the ICU.
“My dad’s hanging on by a thread,” Barbosa said. “They’re saying this is one of the last straws for my dad… they’re in there by themselves with no family. It’s heartbreaking.”
While his parents and sister are both still dealing with the virus, Barbosa says the rest of his infected family is mostly recovering without issue.
Although he admitted news of the outbreak within the family began with resentment and anger, they’re beginning to simply focus on simply helping each other get through this incredibly unfortunate event.
“We were horrified. People couldn’t believe that they took it to a family member,” Barbosa said. “But now, we’re holding on together.”
h/t: KHOU 11
