Man who tested positive for COVID-19 after 400 people showed up to his Independence Day party said: 'We really didn't think twice about the virus, it won't happen to us'

A man who helped plan an Independence Day party which was attended by an estimated 400 people and has been linked to cluster of coronavirus cases has said the group 'didn't really think' about Covid-19.

Cole Wood of Harrisonville, Missouri recorded the party that was hosted at a home in the city, and says that they were undeterred by coronavirus when planning the event.

'A lot of people showed up and we didn't really think twice about the whole virus, it won't happen to us, you know? I believe around at least 300, but could be closer to 400,' Wood said to OzarksFirst.com.  

A week later, the Cass County Health Department has now said that 21 attendees of the party have since tested positive for coronavirus. 

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Cole Wood, pictured during an interview with Fox4 news, said that the coronavirus wasn't a consideration when organizing a party attended by up to 400 people

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Cole Wood filmed the party (pictured above), and is now experiencing symptoms of Covid-19 and is self-isolating

The party had no specified guest list, so it is difficult for authorities to estimate the number of people who could have been exposed to the virus.

'I had two to three friends at the same time come up to me like, hey, I'm sick, I said, I am too, that's weird,' Wood said. 'We started putting two and two together and was like, this could be bad.'

Wood told the station that he is now quarantining himself after experiencing symptoms and subsequently testing positive for Covid-19.

Authorities are asking anyone who was at the party to self-isolate for 14-days and to monitor themselves for any symptoms related to the virus.

Andrew Warlen, director of Cass County's health department, said the cluster is likely to have started from the party hosted by the high schoolers just south Harrisonville.

'For these kids, I have no doubt that most of them are going to have mild to no symptoms,' Warlen said Monday, 'but really the problem is I can't say the same for their parents or their grandparents or their teachers.'

The country's health department performed tests on any party attendees who come forward, or those who have been in contact with anyone who attended the party. 

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The Cass Count Health Department sent out a message on Facebook and in a press release (below) asking anyone who attended the party to get tested so they could help track the potential spread of the virus

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'I think the overall message is, even though things are reopening, we're not back to normal,' Warlen said. 'Avoiding large gatherings is a really good idea.'

The nearby Pleasant Hill School District sent an email to parents warning them that the party may have included many students in the district, prompting it to suspend a summer school program and on-going athletic workouts. 

People have been asked to contact their primary health care provider or the Cass County Health Department if symptoms appear. 

Figures show that Cass County makes up 316 of Missouri's 32,160 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and has also seen nine of the state's 777 related deaths.

For most people, the coronavirus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, including a fever and cough. 

For some, however, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The majority of people who test positive for the virus go on to recover.

For more information, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) resources on Covid-19.