Texas hospital says 30-year-old patient died after going to a 'COVID party'

Doctors at Methodist Hospital in San Antonio, Texas, are hoping that by sharing one patient's story, it will discourage others from attending "COVID parties."

Dr. Jane Appleby, the hospital's chief medical officer, said that a COVID party is a gathering held by a person who has tested positive for the coronavirus and wants to see if the virus is real and spreads to guests. A 30-year-old patient was recently hospitalized after attending a COVID party, and just before dying, "they looked at their nurse and said, 'I think I made a mistake, I thought this was a hoax, but it's not,'" Appleby said.

Appleby said the rising number of infections is "concerning," with up to 22 percent of tests now coming back positive in San Antonio, compared to about 5 percent of tests a few weeks ago, The Guardian reports. "I don't want to be an alarmist, and we're just trying to share some real world examples to help our community realize that this virus is very serious and can spread easily," she said.

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The hospital has seen an increase in critically ill patients in their 20s and 30s, and Appleby is imploring Texans to "please wear a mask, stay at home when you can, avoid groups of people, and sanitize your hands." On Sunday, state health officials reported 8,196 new COVID-19 cases and 80 additional deaths. There are 10,410 Texans hospitalized with the virus.