Maskless mingle in Palm Beach, Trump's Mar-a-Lago as COVID cases soar in town

The town of Palm Beach saw a dramatic increase in COVID cases in November, just as the social season begins and wealthy snowbirds flock to the island's exclusive restaurants, bars and society events.

The island, soon to be home to President Donald Trump, saw a 55.3% increase in COVID cases — from 161 cases on Nov. 3 to 250 cases on Nov. 30. A dozen town residents have died in all.

By comparison, Palm Beach County saw a 43.6 percent increase in November.

The dramatic increase of cases in Palm Beach could be partially attributed to the return of visitors and part-time residents for the winter season. The town has a year-round population of about 8,900 that swells to 17,273 during season, according to data from the U.S. Census and the Town of Palm Beach. Most residents are also over the age of 65, putting them in the high-risk category for coronavirus infections.

Read more: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/story/news/2020/12/04/maskless-mingle-covid-cases-soar-palm-beach-trumps-mar-lago/6409400002/