(Photo : Reuters Connect)

Health officials announced on Friday that a resident from Kansas who attended a protest tested positive for COVID-19. This could indicate a possible virus outbreak in the area. 

Health Officials Were Alarmed 

Top US health officials and experts were alarmed after seeing on their television screens thousands of people from different colors attending protests amid the global pandemic. This could possibly increase the number of COVID-19 infections in the country.

An article published in Financial Times said health officials will determine after two weeks if a surge in COVID-19 cases would happen, as thousands were on the streets protesting and some were not wearing facemasks. Most of all, social distancing has not been properly observed.  

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already announced that they are closely monitoring the demonstrations and protests across the country because it put more people at risk to catch COVID-19. However, they admitted also that they cannot yet predict the degree and proximity of infections not unless the result of those who were tested will be delivered. 

Former U.S. Health Secretary Katheleen Sebelius also caught her attention after seeing thousands of protesters. She said that there would be an increase of COVID-19 cases but she does not know yet of it could be a massive outbreak or not. 

A Resident in Kansas Tested Positive for COVID-19 After Attending the Protest

The most feared problem of health experts already happened when health officials announced on Friday that a resident from Kansas who joined the protest tested positive for COVID-19. It was found out that she caught the virus during the protest.

Lawrence-Douglas County Public Health Department Officials said that the person joined the protest that was held in downtown Lawrence on May 31. Additionally, right now they are advising those who joined in the protest to isolate and observe themselves for any symptoms. 

Informatics Director Sonia Jordan told a news outlet, "Similar to what we would ask anyone who goes out in public right now, we are asking anyone who attended the recent protest to self-monitor for COVID-19 symptoms and isolate if they become sick as well as call their healthcare provider for next steps."

The virus contagion might be massive because a Kansas resident who chose not to be named said and admitted that he was not wearing a facemask during the protest. This means that there is a great chance of virus transmission through droplets while he was chanting. 

Dr. Anthony Fauci Was Also Alarmed of the Protests

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the country's leading disease expert, told a local news outlet of London that he was really concern while watching the protesters in the different places in the U.S. on his TV screen. He also added that all the efforts like social distancing seem to become useless because of the protests.

Meanwhile, the CDC also emphasized that those who attended the protest in the downtown Lawrence may experience the COVID-19 symptoms 2-14 days after the exposure. It is for this reason that everyone who joined is encouraged to isolate and observe themselves. 

And since the protests across the country cannot be controlled nor stopped, health officials advised that protesters must observe social distancing and to wear face masks at all times. 

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