At least 85 people in Michigan have tested positive for the coronavirus after an outbreak at a popular college bar, health officials said.
All cases are related to Harper’s Restaurant and Brew Pub, near the campus of Michigan State University in Lansing, the Ingham County Health Department said Saturday.
Eighty of the infections were people who went to the watering hole, while the others were people exposed to patrons of the bar, the Lansing State Journal reported.
Of those infected, 23 are asymptomatic, according to the report.
Anyone who went to the bar between June 12 and 22 has been asked to quarantine for 14 days from the date of their visit.
The bar had welcomed packed crowds by reopening earlier this month, with photos showing shoulder-to-shoulder lines by the door, according to the Detroit Free Press.
Harper’s acknowledged on its Facebook page that it had been unable to enforce social estrangement outside the bar.
“We have tried to instruct customers waiting in line to cover their faces and practice social distancing through signs on the public sidewalk and with a banner on our railing,” the bar wrote on Facebook.
“Our supervision of the line on our stairs has been successful, but trying to get customers to follow our recommendations on the public sidewalk has been a challenge.”
The bar said it has since closed to “devise a strategy to eliminate the lines entirely,” as well as to install indoor air purification technology.
“When we have finished implementing these two strategies, we will have the most modern neighborhood spot for you to visit safely,” the bar said.
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