感染者とあえて交わる「コロナパーティー」に警鐘、米当局

【ロサンゼルスＡＦＰ＝時事】米北西部ワシントン州当局は6日、新型コロナウイルスにわざと感染する目的で非感染者が感染者と交流する「COVID-19（新型コロナウイルス感染症）パーティー」を計画する人々がいるとの報告について、懸念を表明した。（写真は走査型電子顕微鏡で撮影した新型コロナウイルスSARS-CoV-2。米国立衛生研究所提供）
　ジョン・ウィースマン州保健相は、「パンデミック（世界的な大流行）のさなかに集まるのはとてつもなく危険で、入院どころか死亡する危険が高まる」と指摘。「その上、ＣＯＶＩＤ-１９から回復した人が長期的な免疫を獲得するかも、分かっていない」「このウイルスについては、まだ分からないことが多い。感染者に長期的な健康問題が起きるかもしれない」と述べた。
　これに先立ち、シアトルの南東約４２０キロに位置するワラワラ郡の当局が、郡内で確認された感染者の中に、意図的に感染を拡大させる「ＣＯＶＩＤ-１９パーティー」と称する集まりに参加していた人が複数いると報告していた。ワラワラ郡では６日までに、９４人の感染と１人の死亡が確認されている。
　地元保健当局トップのメーガン・デボルト氏によると、接触者についての追跡調査で、感染者のうち２５人がわざとウイルスに感染するため「ＣＯＶＩＤ-１９パーティーに参加した」と話したという。
　デボルト氏は、このような行動は無責任だと述べ、身体的・社会的に距離を取る「正しい対策」に従って地域内での感染拡大を予防するよう、フェイスブック上で市民に強く呼び掛けている。【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2020/05/08-12:58）

Officials in the northwestern US state of Washington on Wednesday expressed concern over reports of people organizing COVID-19 parties to intentionally spread the virus.
Gathering in groups in the midst of this pandemic can be incredibly dangerous and puts people at increased risk for hospitalization and even death, warned John Wiesman, the state's secretary of health.
Furthermore, it is unknown if people who recover from COVID-19 have long-term protection, he said.
There is still a lot we don't know about this virus, including any long-term health issues which may occur after infection.
Wiesman's comments came after officials in Walla Walla County, located 260 miles (420 kilometers) southeast of Seattle, reported that some of the nearly 100 cases in the region appear to have been intentionally spread or contracted at so-called COVID-19 parties.
The aim of these gatherings is for non-infected people to mingle with an infected person in an effort to catch the virus.
This kind of unnecessary behavior may create a preventable uptick in cases which further slows our state's ability to gradually re-open, Wiesman said.
As of Wednesday, there were 94 cases of coronavirus reported in Walla Walla county and one death.
Meghan DeBolt, Walla Walla's community health director, said contact tracing had shown that some of those infected had attended parties with the aim of contracting the virus.
We don't know when it is happening. It's after the fact that we hear from cases, she told the Walla Walla Union-Bulletin. We ask about contacts, and there are 25 people because: ?We were at a COVID party.'
She said such behavior was irresponsible and urged residents in a Facebook message to follow proper physical and social distancing measures to prevent community transmission.
We need to use this time to use good common sense and to be smart as we move through this pandemic so that we can begin to reopen our community, she said.
COVID-19 parties: not part of the solution, she added.
There has so far been only one other report in the United States of a coronavirus party.
In March, Kentucky's Governor Andy Beshear announced that a person had contracted the virus after attending a COVID-19 party.
The United States is the country hardest hit by the pandemic with more than 1.2 million cases so far and 73,095 deaths.