83 COVID-19 Cases Linked to Michigan’s Faster Horses Festival

More than 70 people who attended last month’s Faster Horses Festival in Brooklyn, Mich., have been diagnosed with COVID-19, and another nine were infected by that group of primary cases.

The country music festival took place at Michigan International Speedway from July 16-18. Luke Combs, Thomas Rhett and Jason Aldean headlined the three-day event, now in its eighth year. Michigan health officials report 83 total COVID-19 cases linked to the festival: 74 primary and nine secondary cases.

MLive states that one of the secondary cases resulted in hospitalization, and that the median age of primary cases is 24 years old. Furthermore, 23 of the 83 people diagnosed reported that they were vaccinated.

The news comes one month after 17 people connected to Country Jam in Grand Junction, Colo., were diagnosed with COVID-19. It typically takes two weeks for health officials to get an idea for how many are showing symptoms after an event.

News after the Michigan festival was already grim, as three people died at the event, reportedly due to carbon monoxide poisoning. Combs ultimately picked up the cost of those funerals, doing so without comment.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is encouraging everyone who attended Faster Horses to get tested if they are not fully vaccinated or if they’re showing symptoms.