AN AMERICAN woman who went on a pub crawl after being told to self-isolate is facing 10 years in prison. The 26-year-old woman – who works for the US military – has been accused of of infecting 59 people and exposing 710 people to the virus. The woman works at the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort […]
AN AMERICAN woman who went on a pub crawl after being told to self-isolate is facing 10 years in prison.
The 26-year-old woman – who works for the US military – has been accused of of infecting 59 people and exposing 710 people to the virus.
Read our coronavirus live blog for the latest news & updates
The woman works at the Edelweiss Lodge and Resort for US servicemen and their families and can only be identified as Yasmin A under Germany’s strict laws protecting the identity of the accused in criminal cases.
She suffered from a sore throat after a holiday in Greece and was told to quarantine for 14 days while awaiting the result of her coronavirus test on September 7.
But just a day later she is said to have “ignored” the instruction and headed out to booze in bars in the resort of Garmisch-Partenkitchen.
She is reported to have partied the Peaches bar on September 3 and the Irish Pub on September before being told the following morning that she had tested positive for coronavirus.
The US citizen is now alleged to be responsible 59 people becoming infect in Garmisch-Partenkitchen, including 25 staff at the resort.
The town has been plunged back into local lockdown with a 10pm curfew now in place for restaurants.
Bavaria’s governor Markus Soeder slammed the woman’s alleged behaviour, saying: “Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a model case of stupidity and an example for how quickly one can become infected.
“Such recklessness must have consequences.”
Mr Soeder added: “That’s why it’s reasonable for the health authorities to consider, after carefully examining the case, whether to impose appropriately high fines.”
The Edelweiss Lodge and Resort has been forced to closed for two weeks after a number of other workers also tested positive for the bug.
Yasmin A also faces damages to cover losses of bars and restaurants that now have to close early.
Local administrator Anton Speer told Bild that they faced a “Herculean task” to trace all the contacts.
Ian O’Hagan, the owner of an Irish bar visited by the woman, was furious and told the Mirror: “This is a disaster. We fought so hard and implemented stricter hygiene measures.”
Stephen Schard, a spokesman for the resort, confirmed that the woman had symptoms of the virus initially but they had no idea where she caught it.
The area’s infection rate has now soared to above the threshold of 50 new cases per 100,000 in a week.
All young people aged between 18 and 35 who were in the bars on Tuesday and in the days before have been told to take a coronavirus test – with 700 tests completed so far.
The Edelweiss resort, which is reserved for members of the American military, their families and veterans, said it is working with U.S. Army medical professionals and local medical officials to assess the situation and conduct contact tracing.
Garmisch-Partenkirchen is a model case of stupidity and an example for how quickly one can become infected
Bavaria governor Markus Soeder
Anyone who has visited the resort since September 3 should monitor for any symptoms and seek medical care if symptoms develop, it added.
A former employee told the DailyMail.com that a strong drinking culture is fostered at the resort with workers having a last blow-out with friends once contracts end.
They also claimed that the hotel knew staff were traveling to restricted countries such as Greece and that others had taken the trip before Adli.
“This culture of concealment is how this super-spreader event was allowed to occur, and why many so employees who live and work inside the hotel are now Covid positive.’
“Management at the hotel have been criminally negligent throughout the pandemic and have fostered the dangerous culture which enables their employees to remain unconcerned about the ramifications of this virus
“When the current situation came to light, ELR management quickly scrambled to begin covering themselves and protect the image of the hotel.”
Andrea Mayer, a spokeswoman for prosecutors in Munich, confirmed Tuesday that her office had opened a preliminary investigation into the woman on suspicion of causing bodily harm.
“The investigation is ongoing,” she said.
