Canadian blames COVID-19 diagnosis on trip to South Beach

A healthcare worker prepares to collect a sample to test for COVID-19 at a drive-through testing site Friday, March 20, 2020, at the Doris Ison Health Center in Miami. (AP Photo/Wilfredo Lee) (Wilfredo Lee, Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

MIAMI BEACH, Fla. – David Anzarouth, of Toronto, Canada, believes the new coronavirus infected him during his trip to South Beach for the Winter Party Festival earlier this month.

Anzarouth, 25, was diagnosed with COVID-19 when he returned to Canada. The Winter Party Festival organizers sent out an e-mail reporting several people had tested positive for the deadly respiratory illness.

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“There’s no one to blame," Anzarouth told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. “I understand that I put myself into a place where I risked my health.”

Anzarouth also shared his story on Instagram. A lot has changed since Anzarouth was in South Beach, city officials have closed beaches, restaurants, stores, hotels and set up an evening curfew in an effort to stop the spread of the new coronavirus.


About the Author:

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.