U.S. spring breakers test positive for virus

U.S. spring breakers test positive for virus

A group of American students have tested positive for the coronavirus after returning from their spring break trip in Mexico.

Gloria Tso has more.

More than two dozen U.S. students returning from spring break at the same Mexican beach resort have now tested positive for the coronavirus.

The city of Austin, Texas said on Tuesday (March 31) around 70 spring breakers in their 20s left a week and a half ago in a chartered plane, heading to the Mexican state of Baja California Sur.

They later returned on several commercial flights.

However, local Mexican officials implied the students became infected elsewhere.

(SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) SECRETARY OF HEALTH OF THE STATE OF BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, VICTOR GEORGE FLORES, SAYING: "Regarding the spring breakers, the group of patients left more less on the 11th (of March).

Due to the date and the incubation period, they returned and became infected there (U.S.), which is the natural course of the illness, and it's also corroborated by the fact that there are no positive (coronavirus cases) among the workers where they (spring breakers) were staying." Austin officials say the 28 confirmed cases are now self-isolating.

They also say dozens are more being tracked down, tested and quarantined.

According to local media reports, most of them were students at the University of Texas at Austin.

The university did not immediately respond to a request for comment.