LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. (KGTV) — A Riverside County man who tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a party warned others considering gatherings the day before he died.
Thomas Macias attended a barbecue in June in Lake Elsinore, where he was exposed to another person who later said they knowingly had coronavirus but never told anyone, according to Los Angeles ABC-affiliate KABC.
Shortly after the party, Macias started feeling sick and posted a warning to others on Facebook, his family told CNN.
"I went out a couple of weeks ago ... because of my stupidity I put my mom and sisters and my family's health in jeopardy," Macias wrote. "This has been a very painful experience. This is no joke. If you have to go out, wear a mask, and practice social distancing. ... Hopefully with God's help, I'll be able to survive this."
Macias died the day after posting the warning. The 51-year-old suffered from diabetes, one of the underlying conditions health experts warn make some individuals especially vulnerable to COVID-19.
A friend who was also at the party notified Macias that he had coronavirus and he was aware of the positive diagnosis when he attended the gathering. The friend thought he couldn't infect anyone because he had no symptoms, a family member told CNN.
It wasn't clear if anyone was social distancing or wearing facial coverings at the party. About a dozen people who were at the party also tested positive, CNN reported.
Macias was tested for COVID-19 on June 15, was told he tested positive on June 18, and died on June 21, KABC reports.