Coronavirus: Five Die From COVID-19 After Attending Basketball Tournament With 2,800 Others

 

Five men who attended an Indiana high school basketball tournament in the USA in March have died after contracting coronavirus disease (COVID-19), and at least a dozen others fell ill following the four-game bonanza.

Allnews reports that Jim DeSalle, Paul Loggan, Larry Rush, Roscoe Taylor III, and Charles Johnson have all passed away in recent weeks following their attendance at a March 6 game at Lawrence Central High School in Indianapolis where 2,800 spectators packed out the stands.

The event went ahead despite confirmation of a COVID-19 case in Indianapolis that morning, coming out of Community Health North, just four miles away from the school.

"We started getting calls wondering if we were still going to play," Lawrence Central athletic director Ryan Banas told the Indianapolis Star.

Elsewhere in Indiana, 63 other high school games went ahead too.

It is unclear where the men contracted the virus but it is noted there were plenty of hugs, handshakes and high fives at the sectional semi-finals.

The NBA suspended their season the following week.

Indiana did not lock down until two weeks after the high school sectional.

At the time of the first case, an individual had recently returned from Boston (the Indiana community was not considered to be at high risk of contracting COVID-19 then).

"There is no ongoing risk to the public," state department of health commissioner Dr. Kris Box said that day.

Bur Box added: "The situation with COVID-19 is changing rapidly and we can expect to see other cases in Indiana in the future."

At 2.05 pm that day, the Indiana High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) reassured the people the environment would be safe.

"We will continue to monitor the developments and listen to medical experts and if it becomes necessary to make adjustments to high school sporting events.

"We will work with our member schools to take every precaution to ensure a healthy and safe environment for everyone involved,'" they said in a statement.

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According to The Indianapolis Star, attendees at that week's tournament who contracted COVID-19 include the parents of a Lawrence North sophomore, a teacher at Hamilton Southeastern, a referee, and a videographer.

Players also displayed symptoms.