I was part of a team that authored an article published on April 8, 2020 in CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, which reveals important new information about how COVID-19 can spread in a community.

Large family gatherings can be a way to spread COVID-19 in communities, as illustrated in the cluster of cases detailed in this report.

Patient A1.1, the initial patient in this investigation, was part of family cluster A.

Patient A1.1 was the first case and represented the first transmission generation.

In February 2020, a funeral was held for someone who died of non-COVID-19 causes.

A close friend of the family, patient A1.1, shared a meal with members of the bereaved family, family B, the night before the funeral.

Patient A1.1 had recently traveled out of state and had mild respiratory symptoms.

Patient A1.1 had close contact with members of family B at the funeral.

Three members of family B developed COVID-19 symptoms in the days following the funeral.

Patient B2.1 was hospitalized.

Patient B3.1 developed symptoms days after embracing patient B2.1 while at the hospital while not wearing personal protective equipment or PPE.

Ultimately patient B2.1 died on day 28.

Three days after the funeral, A1.1 attended a birthday party with nine other members of family A.

Seven party attendees then developed symptoms of COVID-19.

Three were confirmed to have COVID-19 and four others were diagnosed with probable COVID-19.

Patients A2.1 and A2.2 were hospitalized and ultimately died.

One family member and a home care professional developed probable COVID-19 after providing personal care for A2.1 without using PPE.

Patient A3.1 likely spread the disease to patient A4.1, a household contact who did not attend the birthday party.

Three birthday party attendees with probable COVID-19 attended church six days after developing symptoms.

Patient D3.1 developed COVID-19 following close contact with these patients at church.

This cluster ultimately resulted in 16 cases and three deaths and highlights how quickly the virus can spread in the community.

Staying home and avoiding large gatherings are key to slowing the spread of COVID-19.