One Man Infects 91 People, Including 18 Children and Teens
Case study reveals the risks of indoor gathering and the role of infectious kids
A case study in Ohio revealed this week illustrates how one person at an indoor gathering can spark dozens of Covid-19 cases, including the infections of several children who go on to infect others.
At a church event in Ohio, the single case branched out from the initial transmissions in the church, shown in blue in the graphic above, to at least 33 secondary cases beyond the event and at least five third-level cases, according to the Ohio Department of Health.
Five of the initial infections that occurred in the church were among children or teens, including a 6-year-old who spread the disease to three siblings. One of the secondary infections involved a 1-year-old. In the end, at least 91 people had been infected, including 18 children and teens.
“It spread like wildfire,” said Ohio Governor Mike DeWine.
The event is one of many so-called “superspreader events,” in which a single infected person has spawned dozens or hundreds of other Covid-19 cases. By far, most of these situations start indoors, studies show.
