44 University of Texas students have tested positive for COVID-19 after a trip to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
These students were part of a group of 70 that chartered a March 14 flight from Austin, TX to Cabo for spring break. Though no federal travel advisories had been issued at this time, officials had begun warning citizens to avoid travel if possible. Most of the students returned March 19 on a chartered flight, while some flew back commercially.
According to Austin Public Health, 28 students tested positive on Tuesday. By Wednesday, this total had climbed to 44. Four of the initial 28 had no symptoms.
Travel agency Juscollege arranged the vacation. A few days beforehand, they assured the students that the agency’s, “travel destinations remain among the safest and most enjoyable places in the world to visit right now.” The company stated that, since Mexico had less COVID cases than the U.S, the plans for the trip would remain the same.
Juscollege chose not to modify their refund policy even in light of the global pandemic, reporting in a March 12 email that they’d, “already incurred significant costs related to the trip.” Each student would have lost around $2000 if they chose to cancel. On Thursday, Juscollege notified a number of student travelers that they will likely issue partial refunds or credits.
The actions taken by both the students and Juscollege defied worldwide calls for social distancing and self-isolation. In a statement to NBC News, UT Austin pinned the incident as a “reminder of the vital importance” of following official recommendations, especially when they involve public health.
The remainder of the spring breakers are being closely monitored by the university and the city of Austin. Though this stressful time isn’t eased by people prioritizing fun (or money) over public wellbeing, hopefully this serves as a cautionary tale for anyone still planning on taking a spring break vacation abroad.
Image from Christopher Kuszajewski / Pixabay
