HARRISONVILLE, Mo. — The Cass County Health Department is still adding up all of the numbers after identifying a cluster of COVID-19 cases from a July 3 house party.
Andrew Warlen, director of the county’s health department, says the cluster likely started from a party hosted by area high schoolers on July 3 just south Harrisonville.
“For these kids, I have no doubt that most of them are going to have mild to no symptoms,” Warlen said Monday, "but really the problem is I can't say the same for their parents or their grandparents or their teachers.”
The department says 21 attendees of the nearly 200 party-goers have subsequently tested positive for COVID-19, as of 4:30 p.m. on Monday.
The nearby Pleasant Hill School District warned parents in an email that the party may have included many students, which prompted the district to suspend one summer school program and ongoing athletic workouts in hopes of preventing further spread.
“Undoubtedly there will be more,” Harrisonville Mayor Judy Bowman posted on Facebook Sunday with an attached image of the party flyer.
The Cass County Health Department is planning to perform tests on any party attendees identified or those in contact with party-goers beginning at 7 a.m. on Tuesday in the parking lot of Cass Regional Medical Center.
The group says 140 individuals have signed up for testing.
“I think the overall message is, even though things are reopening, we're not back to normal,” Warlen said. “Avoiding large gatherings is a really good idea.”
