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16 friends in Florida infected after first bar outing since lockdown

This article is more than 12 months old

FLORIDA When Ms Erika Crisp and 15 friends headed to Lynch's Irish Pub in Jacksonville Beach on June 6 after months of social distancing, they never thought all of them would be infected by the coronavirus at the same time, Fox News reported.

Ms Crisp, 40, said that throughout the lockdown - which was lifted - they were "doing things the right way".

She said on Jacksonville's WJXT television: "Then the first night we go out, Murphy's law I guess. The only thing we have in common is that one night at that bar."

Seven employees of the pub were also found to be infected, New York Daily News reported.

"I think we were careless and we went out into a public place when we should not have," Ms Crisp told WJXT.

"And we were not wearing masks. I think we had a whole 'out of sight, out of mind' mentality. The state opens back up and said everybody was fine, so we took advantage of that."

She gave this warning on WJXT: "We should be wearing masks. We should be social distancing. It was too soon to open everything back up."

New infections hit record highs in six US states on Tuesday, Reuters reported.

Arizona, Florida, Oklahoma, Oregon and Texas all reported record increases in new cases on Tuesday after recording all-time highs last week.

Nevada also reported its highest single-day tally of new cases on Tuesday. Hospitalisations are rising or at record highs.

TRUMP RALLY

In Oklahoma, where US President Donald Trump plans to hold an indoor campaign rally on Saturday, new cases rose 68 per cent, Reuters reported.

Vice-President Mike Pence on Tuesday said officials were considering other, possibly outdoor, venues for the Tulsa event. The virus spreads more efficiently in enclosed spaces.

He pushed back against talk of a second wave of infections, citing increased testing.

He wrote in a Wall Street Journal opinion piece that warnings of a "second wave" of infection is "overblown".

WORLD