- A total of 74 people on Martha’s Vineyard have tested positive for Covid-19 since former President Barack Obama’s 60th birthday on Saturday
- The spike in cases is more than any week since April on Martha’s Vineyard
- Health officials note it’s still too early to know whether the hundreds of guests and workers at the maskless parties have contributed to the surge in cases
- ‘At this time we’re not aware of any cases connected to the Obama party,’ a Tisbury health agent and boards of health spokesperson told DailyMail.com
- ‘It’s a little too early and the only way we’re going to know is through comprehensive contact tracing,’ they added
- Hundreds of people attended the party, flying in from around the country and congregating under tents where partiers danced, ate and drank the night away
By SHAWN COHEN FOR DAILYMAIL.COM
A total of 74 people on Martha’s Vineyard have tested positive for Covid- 19 since former President Barack Obama‘s 60th birthday extravaganza last Saturday, more than any week since April.
However, health officials note it’s still too early to know whether the hundreds of guests and workers gathered for his weekend of maskless parties have contributed to the surge in cases.
‘At this time we’re not aware of any cases connected to the Obama party,’ Tisbury health agent and boards of health spokesperson Maura Valley told DailyMail.com. ‘It’s a little too early and the only way we’re going to know is through comprehensive contact tracing.’
Hundreds of people attended Obama’s birthday bash Saturday, flying in from around the country and congregating under tents where partiers danced, ate and drank the night away on his estate in Edgartown.
He gathered with friends Thursday at the Barn Bowl & Bistro, joined a larger kick-off celebration Friday at the luxury Winnetu Oceanside Resort.
Obama followed up his party with a brunch Sunday at Beach Road restaurant, dining under a specially-erected marquee beside the water in Vineyard Haven.
Martha’s Vineyard was already experiencing a new surge in cases when Obama, preparing to welcome 500 guests to his mansion, announced his party would be ‘scaled back’ amid criticism as the Delta coronavirus variant spread across the country.
In the week leading up to his party, 48 new cases were reported on the island through Saturday, double the prior week. The number of cases has risen every day since then, with six Sunday, seven Monday, 10 Tuesday, 13 Wednesday, 18 Thursday and 20 Friday.
But despite the ex-president’s insistence that he had disinvited everyone but his family and close friends, 300 to 400 people showed up to his party, everyone from Jay Z and Beyonce to Chrissy Teigen and John Legend, a staffer working the event told DailyMail.com.
Many of the guests flew in by private jet and stayed in Edgartown, the center of the island’s COVID resurgence.
