Obama faces criticism as Martha’s Vineyard reports increase in Covid-19 cases after his maskless birthday party

Former President Barack Obama is facing sharp criticism as Martha’s Vineyard in Massachusetts has reported an increase in Covid-19 cases after his birthday bash last weekend. Hashtags such as “#superspreader” and “#ObamaVariant” were trending on Twitter after the reports of an increase in Covid cases came out. At least 74 people have tested positive for the virus since Obama’s party, which is the highest reported case in any week since April 2021.

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However, health officials of the area claimed it was too early to say if the hundreds of workers and guests who came for the “maskless party” for his birthday contributed to the surge. Maura Valley, Spokesperson, Tisbury health agent and boards of health, said, “At this time, we’re not aware of any cases connected to the Obama party. It’s a little too early, and the only way we’re going to know is through comprehensive contact tracing.”

Reportedly, hundreds of people came to attend Obama’s birthday bash last Saturday even though he had “toned down” the celebrations amidst rising cases of Covid-19. The three-day event started on Thursday at the Barn Bowl & Bistro, followed by celebrations on Friday at luxury Winnetu Oceanside Resort Friday and a brunch on Sunday at the Beach Road restaurant.

A week after the party, 48 cases were reported on Saturday, six on Sunday, seven on Monday, eight on Tuesday, 13 on Wednesday, 18 on Thursday and 20 on Friday. Obama had announced that he had disinvited everyone but his family and close friends. However, over 300 people still showed up for the party, including Beyonce, Jay Z, John Legend, and Chrissy Teigan.

Daily Mail reported that Celebrities, including Bradley Cooper, had checked into the Harbor View Hotel. Six staff members of the Hotel have now tested positive for the deadly virus. The Hotel has become one of the three new Covid clusters in Edgartown. The other two are Alchemy Bistro & Bar that reported 14 cases, and Port Hunter restaurant, where five cases were reported.

Due to the rise in the cases, the mask mandate has been reinstated at several restaurants and bars across the island.