Coronavirus leads to fears California mega-music festival Coachella will be canceled
THE fate of Coachella is in major jeopardy as the deadly Coronavirus continues to spread across Southern California.
The public health department of Riverside County - where the takes place - just confirmed its first case.
Public health officer Dr. Cameron Kaiser announced Sunday that the county is under a public health emergency due to a patient being considered a "presumptive positive for coronavirus” after getting tested.
The individual is being treated at Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage - only 25 minutes away from Coachella’s festival grounds in nearby Indio.
Eisenhower Health said in a statement released today: “The patient is in isolation and Eisenhower staff have taken appropriate precautions in the treatment of this patient.
“We ask the community to remember that Eisenhower’s medical professionals treat patients with infectious diseases every day and are prepared to care for our community members.”
In the United States alone, over 500 cases of the virus have been confirmed with 22 being fatal so far, reported.
According to , Dr. Kaiser says he has NOT told Coachella to call off the festival yet but as recent developments continue to unfold, that could change any moment.
The outlet also claims the doctor’s team is still assessing whether or not the infected patient exposed the virus to others.
So far, no decisions have been set in stone but Dr. Kaiser will continue to evaluate on a case-by-case basis.
However, a City Hall insider revealed to The Sun that local government would "never" cancel the money-maker.
"They know if they did Goldenvoice would be like "f**k you" and leave," the source said of Coachella's parent company.
"If it’s up to Goldenvoice, it will go on. The contracts are so gnarly, I doubt any artists would even be able to back out.
"The local economy is so dependent on what happens in April before everyone leaves for Summer. Everyone is going to do everything they can to keep it going," the insider emphasized of the event's impact on the community.
The first weekend of the mega-event is set to kick off Friday, April 10 - Sunday, April 12th and round two is scheduled for the following week.
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Rock band Rage Against the Machine, rapper and singer all got top billing to headline the three-day party in the desert.
Calvin Harris, Lana del Rey, Lil Nas X, 21 Savage and dozens of others are also set to take the stage during the back-to-back weekends.
Crowds from the massive gathering have previously topped more than 100,000 which include dozens of A-list celebrities every year such as , , and more.
The outdoor festival is standing room only and all attendees outside of the VIP section are crowded close together for the best view of the stage.
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