Authorities report 107 cases of COVID-19 at East Lansing bar as Ingham County reduces restaurant capacity

EAST LANSING, Mich. – Health officials are now reporting 107 cases of coronavirus (COVID-19) related to an outbreak in an East Lansing bar as of Monday.

Authorities said 14 people who visited Harper’s Restaurant and Brew Pub between June 12 and 20 contracted the virus. That number has increased to 107.

READ: Harper’s Restaurant and Brew Pub Owners Release Statement on COVID-19 Cases

Ingham County has issued an emergency order that reduces the restaurant’s capacity to 50 percent or no more than 75 people, whichever is less.

Executive Order 2020-114 already restricts restaurant capacity to 50 percent of normal seats, but does not impose a limitation. The county emergency order means that no food service establishment can have more than 75 customers at a time.

“Large crowds are difficult to control,” said Linda S. Vail, Ingham County Health Officer. By not allowing more than 75 people, restaurants and bars will be better able to enforce social distancing and the use of face masks and covers. I strongly recommend that all bars and restaurants strictly enforce security measures and do everything possible to help stop the spread of the coronavirus in our community. “

The case count now includes 95 cases of people who went to Harper’s during the exposure period. There are 12 cases of people who were in contact with a primary case, but who did not go to Harper’s.

Of the main cases, 59 are residents of Ingham County. The others live in Clinton, Oakland, Wayne, St. Clair, Macomb, Eaten, Shiawassee, Livingston, Kalamazoo, Ottawa, Berrien and Calhoun counties.

People who visited Harper’s from June 12 to 20 are considered exposed and have been asked to quarantine for 14 days from their visit. The cases are people between the ages of 16 and 28 years, with the median age of 21.

Authorities said no one has been hospitalized. Most have mild symptoms and 28 people are asymptomatic. At least 40 percent are Michigan State University students or recent graduates.

Everyone who was at Harper’s during the exposure period is strongly encouraged to look for evidence. Public testing will be held Tuesday from 12 to 4 pm on the MSU campus at 846 Service Road in East Lansing. Will be free

For additional information, Ingham County residents can call the ICHD COVID-19 response line at (517) 887-4517 or visit hd.ingham.org/coronavirus