By Emma Wulfhorst
MIDDLETOWN – A recent spike in COVID-19 cases among teens is being blamed on multiple parties over the last month.
Contact tracing conducted by the Middletown Township Department of Health and Social Services discovered many of the cases stemmed from a July 11 house party. On July 22, the department released a statement saying it was “currently investigating a cluster of approximately 20 COVID-19 cases,” related to the party. That number has since risen.
And the department has now learned there was more than one party at fault. “There were at least three to four other parties in the vicinity,” all leading to an increased positivity rate among 15-to-19-year-olds, said Middletown Township Administrator Tony Mercantante, “something we had not seen since the beginning of this pandemic. Back in March we didn’t see those kinds of numbers amongst teenagers, now all of a sudden they’re the majority of our cases.”
“Our contact tracers are continuing to make calls to investigate the recent teen COVID cluster, which we now understand is tied to more than just one party during the timeframe that was mentioned in the original statement,” said Rich DeBenedetto, department of health director.
Initially stonewalled by parents of partygoers, DeBenedetto said the department is now “getting better cooperation from parents.”
Gov. Phil Murphy echoed that sentiment at a press conference Monday. “I’m happy to say that the folks, the parents, have been cooperating,” he said. Murphy also announced the number of confirmed COVID-19 cases stemming from the parties was up to 65, 52 in teens between the ages of 15 and 19.
Mercantante said the family that hosted the July 11 party “called us, they’ve given us the names of as many people as they can remember who attended the party, which was 59 names, so it’s quite a few.” And those names have led to others, said Mercantante. “They’re letting us know someone was at the party, or letting us know someone was being tested, or letting us know someone was positive. At least 11 people who attended that (party) were positive,” he said.
Officials want to put an end to parties like these across the state; one way to do that is to cite the hosts for violating executive orders. But that hasn’t happened yet in Middletown. “It’s an active investigation, but I think it would be premature to determine whether or not any kind of violations are going to be issued,” said Paul Bailey, Middletown Police Department deputy chief and public information officer.
While the hosts of the parties may not face charges, there has been backlash from the Middletown community. Student partygoers were criticized by their peers, both on social media and in person. Houses of known party attendees were vandalized; there have been two reports so far of eggings, as well as a note of condemnation taped to doors, according to Bailey. “The incidents, they were reported to the police department and we are investigating it,” Bailey said. The department has increased police presence in the area where this reportedly occurred, he added.
The note admonishes the parents of party attendees, calling the parents’ actions “negligent.” “We could except some semblance of ignorance from the kids, but we are nothing short of disgusted to see it exhibited by the parents.” The note goes on to claim that “Innocent people are sick” as a direct result of the parents’ actions, and accuses them of taking a “leading role in ensuring the spread of the virus.” The note is signed, “The Entirety of Middletown.”
In addition to the instances of vandalism, the names and addresses of party attendees were also allegedly released online, along with a music video-esq montage showing crowds of teens drinking and dancing at a party.
“It’s disturbing,” Mercantante said about the video. “It’s entirely indoors, which, who in their right mind would let something like that happen today in this day and age?”
“I don’t know what house it was at, because there’s no positive way of knowing at this point, but whoever it was showed some really poor judgment,” he added.
Mercantante said the community can help stop parties like these by filing a complaint with the state department of health. “If they see an event going on that they think may be a health risk, there’s an email address and a phone number to call the state department of health and make a complaint and they will investigate it,” he said.
He also wants teens, and all citizens, to know, “It’s really not important where any one party or event occurred. What’s important is if it’s your child or you who attended a party anywhere with a large group of people, you need to get yourself checked.”
He said they’ve been lucky these COVID-19 cases haven’t resulted in any hospitalizations, but knows the situation could get more serious. “We also don’t know who else they might have come in contact with and who they might have affected. But, odds are eventually someone’s going to get sick enough to go to the hospital.”
And Middletown Mayor Tony Perry warned of the continued effects of ignoring virus guidelines, “If we aren’t able to break the chain of this virus, Middletown and the entire state will not be able to reopen.”
Officials say the best course of action is to simply not have parties, especially indoors. But if you must gather in a large group, make sure it is outside, wear a face covering and practice social distancing. “Start taking this seriously. It will happen to you if you do something unsafe like have a big party,” said Mercantante. “Sometimes the parents have to stop being friends with their children and start being parents.”
The article originally appeared in the July 30 – August 5, 2020 print edition of The Two River Times.
