Coronavirus US: CDC report shows 1 person spread COVID-19 to as many as 15 in February

CHICAGO -- An investigation conducted by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention demonstrates how one person with COVID-19 infected as many as 15 others back in February.

The person, referred to as an "index patient" by the CDC, had mild symptoms when the person shared a take-out meal with several others in Chicago. The CDC report said two of those people ended up getting COVID-19 and one died weeks later.

The same person then later went to a birthday party and hugged several family members and shared food. At least three family members then got COVID-19 and two died.

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One of the people considered a "probable" COVID-19 patient went to church, where they passed the offering plate, possibly spreading the virus to many more people.

The patients in the report ranged in age from five to 86. The three people who died were each over 60 and had at least one underlying medical condition.