20 - 30 Florida medical professionals went to a house party — and 17 caught COVID-19: report

Thanks to a coronavirus outbreak at the University of Florida Health that resulted from a group of employees attending a house party, at least 17 anesthesiologist residents and a fellow have been infected.

According to the Miami Herald, an email was sent out to employees saying that the cases included 14 junior residents, two senior residents, a fellow and an administrative employee, adding that the anesthesiology department “wishes them well and a speedy return to good health.”

UF Health’s chief communications officer, Melanie Fridl Ross, released a statement stating that the hospital system "educates its faculty, staff and students on best practices to help prevent the spread of COVID-19 on and off-duty."

"Our goal is to minimize the spread of the illness on our campus and in our community, recognizing that it’s impossible to prevent all cases given the way pandemics naturally work," the statement continued.

There some conflicting statements about the nature of the party employees attended. As the Herald points out, one person described it as a "going-away party for a resident, but another person described it as a party organized by second-year residents for incoming first-year residents, with roughly 20 or 30 residents who attended."

Read the full report over at The Miami Herald.