Mexico: Wedding resulted in 100 infected with coronavirus

MEXICO CITY (AP) — More than 100 people are believed to have been infected by the coronavirus at a wedding early this month in the northern Mexico border city of Mexicali, authorities said.

About 300 people attended the Oct. 3 nuptials of a soap opera actor and the daughter of a businessman, Alonso Oscar Pérez Rico, the health secretary of Baja California state said Monday.

Pérez Rico told local media that there were apparently no masks or temperature checks at the event and that the organizers also did not have permission to hold an event of that size during the pandemic.

He said authorities are investigating whether anyone attended the wedding knowing they had COVID-19 or were infected by the virus. In some states in Mexico, knowingly infecting someone with a disease is a crime.

Photos published in local media show wedding guests dancing together without masks.

Mexicali has seen almost half of Baja California state's 21,800 coronavirus cases. Nationwide, Mexico has recorded almost 1 million confirmed cases and about 86,300 deaths.

Officials fear more infections could be sparked by upcoming celebrations, especially the Day of the Dead holiday Nov. 1-2, when families visit relatives' graves. Some local authorities have said they will discourage or limit such gatherings.