Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone has issued fines upwards of $15,000 to two violators of COVID-19 guidelines.
One violator is a venue in Cutchogue that hosted a 90-person wedding where 30 guests were infected. The other is a Farmingville resident that hosted a house party with more than 200 guests. Gatherings are limited to 50 people in Suffolk County.
"These kind of super-spreader events are a threat to our public health and to our continued economic recovery," Bellone says.
County health officials are monitoring a third “spreader” party in Bellport, where more than 20 guests have tested positive.
"While the Bellport Party did not, as I said, violate gathering limits, it's a perfect example of how quickly this virus can spread," Bellone says, "Twenty six people leaving there, not knowing, that they were going out into the world into their homes, into their places of work and spreading the virus to others."
Officials plan to issue new Halloween guidelines to prevent the spread of the virus this weekend.