PIKE COUNTY, Mo. — The Pike County Health Department has been notified of public exposure of COVID-19 after a fair took place last week.
According to the health department, it has been notified of three confirmed cases with multiple symptomatic cases. Those three people were at the Pike County fair, which took place on July 28-31 and Aug. 1.
The health department said anyone who was at the fair on those dates should monitor their health and watch for symptoms. It also said the Pike County fair board president has been notified.
Videos online showed hundreds of people packed into to the fair at a country concert on its closing night. The video showed few people wearing face masks.
One of the videos had a caption of, “COVID doesn’t exist in God’s country!”
Dr. Steven Lawrence, an infectious disease expert with Washington University previously said outdoor concerts are definitely better than if the same event were held indoors, but it's still not enough with people this close for a long amount of time.
Fair organizers expected record crowds after other places called off similar gatherings.
According to the CDC, people with COVID-19 have reported a wide range of symptoms – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness. The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
The health department said if you develop any of these symptoms, contact your health care provider.