Outbreaks Tracked to Church Services: Updated 10/26/2020

Reports since the beginning of June –

Sun Valley, CA – (10/23/2020) Last month, an L.A. County judge ordered the church to stop holding indoor services -- but the church has refused to follow that ruling. So far, there have been three confirmed cases at Grace Community Church, which has held indoor worship services for the past several weeks.

Hamilton, Ontario – (10/22/2020) Restoration Full Gospel Church has had three parishioners test positive in an outbreak associated with the church.

Charlotte, NC - (10/19/2020) After sounding the alarm on Twitter Saturday, Mecklenburg County Public Health said Monday it is now investigating more than 23 confirmed cases of COVID-19 linked to an event at the United House of Prayer for All People on Beatties Ford Road. On Saturday, Mecklenburg County urged all people who attended convocation events at the church Oct. 10 and 11 to get tested.

Update: (10/24/2020) Harris said at least three deaths and more than 121 confirmed cases of the virus have been linked to the church, which held a weeklong church event earlier this month.

West Virginia - (10/19/2020)Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention Director Dr. Nirav Shah said Wednesday, Oct. 21, that the coronavirus outbreak the CDC identified with Brooks Pentacostal Church now includes at least 46 people, including seven people associated with the church's Lighthouse Christian School, as well as people associated with public schools and a residential care facility in the county. Three people have been hospitalized.

Brooks, ME - (10/20/2020) More than three dozen coronavirus cases have been linked to a church in Maine that held a fellowship rally earlier this month.

Rockford, MI - (9/28/2020) The head pastor of a church in Rockford said his house of worship is linked to the spread of coronavirus, so he’s taking his message online. A number of our members, including some key volunteers, have tested positive,” Bergsma said in the video. “A good number of other people were exposed and thereby are also in question.”

Horseheads, NY - (9/17/2020) More than 40 new cases of the coronavirus have been reported from six counties linked to one New York church. In efforts to contact trace the congregation, the county issued a subpoena to the church on Sept 12.

Kansas - (9/09/2020) The Kansas Department of Health and Environment on Wednesday released for the first time the names and places associated with active outbreaks of COVID-19 across the state. KDHE identified clusters associated with religious gatherings at Faith Chapel Assembly of God in Louisburg (21), Faith Tabernacle Apostolic Church in Junction City (7), Hannah’s House in Independence (9) and Plevna Church in Plevna (14). South Charleston, WV - (9/9/2020) The Rev. Charlie Shelton said there are six positive cases as of Wednesday. All are isolating at home, including two who have had no symptoms.

Geary County, KS - (9/08/2020) The Geary County Health Department says it has identified sixteen cases of COVID-19 linked to Iglesia Casa de Restauracion Church.

New Bedford, MA - (9/10/2020) The New Bedford Health Department has issued fines totaling $1,800 to a storefront church in the North End for violating city and state COVID-19 regulations, a city press release said. The church failed to comply with the city’s regulations and protections for its residents, according to the city.

Horseheads, NY - (9/10/2020) County health officials originally announced five positive cases of COVID- 19, involving people from both Chemung and Schuyler counties, were traced back to Lighthouse Baptist Church, 209 Gardner Road in Horseheads.

Sanford, ME - (8/29/2020) At least five cases of COVID-19 were confirmed at Calvary Baptist Church, whose pastor apparently officiated at a wedding reception in Millinocket that is now linked to more than 100 confirmed cases.

Sun Valley, CA - (8/25/2020) A judge on Tuesday rejected Los Angeles County’s attempt to temporarily bar a large church in Sun Valley from holding indoor worship services where hundreds of unmasked congregants have continued to gather over the last five Sundays.

Fremont County, WY - (8/24/2020) Two outbreaks in Fremont County, one a few weeks old and another still ongoing, have been tied to two churches and a camp hosted by one of them, officials said Monday. The first cluster is a couple of weeks past its peak and is “winding down,” Fremont County spokesman Michael Jones said. He didn’t know exactly how many cases were associated with it, but he said it was anywhere between 10 and 30. The second outbreak is ongoing and officials are investigating and tracing it currently, he said. In that cluster, the church — which Jones declined to name — had hosted a camp recently. He said he didn’t know how many cases are currently associated with that outbreak.

Philadelphia, PA - (8/19/2020) Nine members of a Northeast Philadelphia church from at least five separate households have tested positive for COVID-19.

Topeka, KA - (8/13/2020) Geary County has linked 22 positive cases of COVID-19 to Faith Tabernacle Church.

Berea, KY - (8/11/2020) A church in Berea will be "closed until further notice" for in-person services, following reports of numerous cases of coronavirus within the congregation. Mark Sarver, the senior pastor at Church on the Rock, confirmed he and his wife are among more than a dozen people connected to the church to have tested positive for the virus.

Athens, AL - (8/10/2020) A church in Athens is closed after several church members tested positive for COVID-19. Oakland Church of Christ Minister Jeff May confirmed the outbreak to WAFF Monday. Ventura County, CA - (8/08/2020) A California judge has granted a temporary restraining order against Godspeak Calvary Chapel and its Pastor Rob McCoy for holding in-person services in violation of COVID- 19 health orders. On Wednesday, Ventura County officials sued McCoy and his church for holding in- person services of up to 200 people after the church decided to return to normal services. McCoy announced in a video message Friday that he will continue to hold indoor services.

UPDATE: (8/09/2020) A livestream of the morning’s service showed McCoy and a musician standing without masks before at least two dozen worshipers — most of whom also were not wearing masks. It was not clear from the livestream if they were standing 6 feet apart.

Windham, NH - (8/08/2020) As of Saturday, 16 people who have attended events hosted at Windham's Crossing Life Church have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a release from the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services. That includes a YouthStorm camp event from July 16-18.

Akron, OH - (8/06/2020) A Tuscarawas County church has been linked to a COVID-19 outbreak that eventually infected 91 people. Speaking to media on Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine showed a graphic detailing how the virus spread from one 56-year-old man who attended a church service on June 14.

Thousand Oaks, CA - (8/06/2020) Worshipers at Godspeak Calvary Chapel in Thousand Oaks have been celebrating their faith for months in open violation of state and local health orders in place to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. “Singing, hugging, no masks,” Senior Pastor Rob McCoy said, describing the services. Now the church and Ventura County are facing off in court. County officials sued McCoy and the church this week to shut down the large, indoor gatherings. The lawsuit follows the county Board of Supervisors’ vote to use court actions to enforce COVID-19 health orders.

Copperas Cove, TX - (8/04/2020) A Copperas Cove church says they have about 20 people within their congregation with COVID-19 symptoms, and five positive cases.

Garfield County, CO - (8/03/2020) Two faith-based groups in Garfield County have experienced outbreaks of COVID-19 among worshippers, Garfield County Public Health officials said in a Friday afternoon press release. “One house of worship is home to 14 church attendees who are lab-confirmed COVID-19 positive, and has another six probable cases with compatible symptoms,” according to a county press release issued Friday afternoon.

Independence, MO - (7/31/2020) At least 30 coronavirus cases have been traced back to an Independence church that was holding in-person services and a day camp, the Jackson County Health Department announced Friday. The health department estimates more than 300 people may have been exposed to COVID-19

Marysville, OH - (7/28/2020) Clark County Public Health Director Becky Kissick issued an advisory Friday informing the media that an outbreak had been identified among people who attended a church camp in Marysville, Ohio, and subsequent worship services among the local congregation.

Strawberry, AL - (7/26/2020) More than 40 people have coronavirus after attending a week-long revival at a small north Alabama Baptist church last week. Woodland Park, CO - (7/24/2020) Woodland Park-based Andrew Wommack Ministries held a multi-day conference that included over 1,000 attendees from July 30th through July 3rd. Now the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment has traced a COVID-19 outbreak to the event, with seven staff members and fifteen attendees testing positive.

U.S. Supreme Court - (7/24/2020) A divided U.S. Supreme Court rejected an effort by a Nevada church to ease limits on the size of its services during the coronavirus pandemic. Voting 5-4, the justices rebuffed Calvary Chapel Dayton Valley, a Reno-area church that said the state was unconstitutionally discriminating by imposing stricter requirements on church services than on Las Vegas casinos.

North Texas - (7/24/2020) Two overnight Christian retreats, Camp Pine Cove and Fellowship Church’s Allaso Ranch cause concern for the return of school. Despite Pine Cove ensuring a number of safety measures were in place before campers arrived, such as face mask requirements, use of hospital-grade cleaners, reduced group sizes, temperature screening and on-site medical staff, at least 100 campers and staff tested positive for the virus. Similar concerns surfaced regarding Fellowship Church’s Allaso Ranch retreat where at least 80 campers tested positive for the virus, and at least one child was hospitalized.

Winchester, KY - (7/24/2020) The Clark County Health Department has identified the source of a cluster outbreak at a Winchester church. The health department says the outbreak is associated with attendance at an Ohio church camp, and then those people attending services at Pilgrim Holiness Church in Winchester.

Taylor County, WV - (7/24/220) According to Threat Preparedness Coordinator Shawn Thorn, three individuals from a West Hill Wesleyan Methodist Church have tested positive for Coronavirus.

Mason County, WV - (7/23/2020) The Mason County Health Department says there has been a coronavirus outbreak at a church. Officials say they have five cases within the church. Three of those people are from Mason County and two of them are from Putnam County.

Asheboro, NC - (7/17/2020) The Randolph County Health Department said they’ve identified nine cases of the coronavirus from services held at Cross Road Baptist Church in Asheboro.

California - (7/16/2020) Three evangelical churches in California have sued Gov. Gavin Newsom for banning singing and chanting in places of worship but permitting such activities elsewhere. (7/20/2020 update) - A federal judge on Monday, July 20, turned down a bid by Harvest church ministries for an immediate halt to Gov. Gavin Newsom’s order preventing various group-worship activities, including singing and chanting during services, as a way to prevent the spread of the coronavirus.

Kanawha County, WV - (7/15/2020) At least 24 members of a Kanawha County church congregation have tested positive for the coronavirus, health officials confirmed Wednesday evening.

East Lansing, MI - (7/14/2020) Pastor Gary Gauthier of Pentecostals of East Lansing tells 6 News, 12 people who attended a July 1st service have tested positive for COVID-19. Yuba City, CA - (7/10/2020) Crossroads Community Church Senior Pastor Jim Clark wants to keep his 1,500 parishioners safe during the coronavirus pandemic but he’s drawing the line at a new California ban on singing or chanting at religious services.

Montgomery County, IL - (7/09/2020) As of July 8, 25 COVID-19 cases are directly linked to Cornerstone Ministries. These cases occur over a three-county area and two additional counties have pending tests.

San Antonio, TX - (7/06/2020) (updated from 7/03/2020 entry) Pastor Ron Arbaugh of Calvary Chapel said he followed “the letter of the law” when he reopened his church in Universal City in May. Now, more than 50 staff and parishioners in his evangelical congregation have tested positive for COVID-19, an eruption the pastor blames on his loosening of a rule against hugging last month.

Fort Myers, FL - (7/07/2020) At just 17, Carsyn Leigh Davis died last month after contracting the novel coronavirus, her death — which marked Lee County’s youngest virus-related fatality at the time — sent shock waves through the community. The Miami-Dade County Medical Examiner found that the immunocompromised teen went to a large church party with roughly 100 other children where she did not wear a mask and social distancing was not enforced. In a scathing write-up on her Florida COVID Victims site, Jones described the church gathering as a “COVID Party.” She alleged that Brunton Davis (mom) took Carsyn to the event to “intentionally expose her immuno-compromised daughter to this virus.”

California - (7/03/2020) The state, to curb a rapidly worsening pandemic, has temporarily banned singing and chanting in places of worship the state’s Department of Public Health said in their latest guidance for houses of worship posted Wednesday (.pdf).

While the California Department of Public Health strongly recommends places of worship should continue to facilitate remote serves, in-person services are currently permitted in California if proper measures are followed. Among the existing protocols, all houses of worship are required limit their attendance to 25% of building capacity or a maximum of 100 attendees, the order says.

San Antonio, TX - (7/03/2020) In a video dated Wednesday, June 24, Cavalry Chapel Church located on Pat Booker near Universal City, said at least 16 of its members have tested positive for the coronavirus.

San Francisco, CA - (7/02/2020) The Archdiocese of San Francisco has agreed to stop celebrating public Mass indoors and to restrict outdoor services after city officials threatened to close churches that were operating in defiance of the city’s public health orders amid the coronavirus outbreak.

Fairborn, OH – (7/01/2020) Greene County Public Health confirmed that several members of Gates of Praise, a church in Fairborn, had COVID-19 in early June. Representatives of the church recommended members get tested June 7 after several people tested positive with symptoms. The status of those members is unknown at this time. Dr. Don Brannen, an epidemiologist with Greene County Public Health, did not confirm how many cases were associated with the cluster, but said there are 60 COVID- 19 cases in Fairborn, and they are seeing community spread.

Cleveland, TN – (7/02/2020) Covenant Baptist Church of Cleveland confirmed on Wednesday that 20 church members had tested positive for COVID-19. Cleveland, TN – (7/01/2020) Church of God congregations in Cleveland, Tennessee, shut down with coronavirus infections. The outbreak comes after hosting revival, in-person services. 'Aren't you tired of COVID?' the pastor had asked the gathered crowd. In a series of posts in the past week on the Westmore Church of God Facebook page, lead pastor of the church Kelvin Page reported one, then five and then at least 12 cases of COVID-19 in his congregation. In the days since, people connected to the church said the outbreak is two or three times that number. The number or severity of church outbreaks in the area remains largely unknown, unless church leaders report them publicly. Amanda Goodhard, spokesperson for the Tennessee Department of Health Southeast Regional Office, said her office only reports coronavirus clusters connected to long-term care facilities.

Seoul, South Korea – (6/30/2020) South Korean Prime Minister Chung Sye-kyun said during a virus meeting on Wednesday that more than 40% of the country's newly confirmed infections over the previous three days have been traced back to places of worship. He pleaded people to refrain from religious gatherings and criticized churches and other facilities for failing to implement proper preventive measures, such as requiring followers to wear masks and sit apart during services. "If religious facilities continue to be an environment for infections by failing to implement anti-virus measures, it will be inevitable for the government to designate (them) as high-risk facilities and enforce strong restrictions," Chung said.

Mobile, AL – (7/01/2020) One of our staff members was exposed to someone who later tested positive for the virus, and our entire staff was with the exposed staff member in a two-hour staff meeting a few days later. The exposed staff member then tested positive. We had the rest of our staff tested, but everyone else tested negative. No one, including the one staff member who tested positive, showed any symptoms. We breathed a collective sigh of relief, and many of us, including myself, came away from that experience more convinced than before that the only real threat we faced from COVID-19 was our services being shut down again. Then it happened. The first phone call came on a Friday from a staff member. "Bad news. I've got a fever, body aches, and six out of the 11 symptoms on the CDC's checklist." The next week was filled with phone calls and text messages about symptoms and tests and who had been exposed to whom. By midweek, we learned that the virus, which would eventually work its way through about half of our staff, had spread to some of our volunteers.

Dallas, TX – (7/01/2020) At least five members of the choir and orchestra at a Dallas megachurch tested positive for the coronavirus in June, according to Facebook posts and internal church emails.

Rogers, AR – (6/30/2020) The Arkansas Department of Health (ADH) released a list of churches that have members who have tested positive for COVID-19 to news outlets, but inadvertently included churches without known cases creating confusion in the community.

Waterford, CA – (6/28/2020) Six parishioners from Community Bible Church in Waterford tested positive for COVID-19, after participating in one or two outdoor Bible study groups the week of June 15. Community Bible Church has not held in-person services since March, but instead has been live streaming Sunday services. It has hired a professional cleaning service, in addition to its regular maintenance staff, to ensure that its facilities are cleaned according to county public health and CDC guidelines. Wisely said he wanted to tell about his church’s experience to help others. He said, “I am hopeful that our story will encourage other churches and faith leaders to take more seriously the warnings about this virus and the guidance that the county had been trying to share. We played it according to the book, and we still got hit.” Lakeland, Florida – (6/28/2020) The pastor of one of the fastest growing churches in Lakeland, along with his wife, tested positive for COVID-19 in recent days — following a June 14 in-person prayer meeting. Staff are now awaiting test results. They had planned to resume in-person services Sunday but are going to “press pause” until July 12. Grace City is known for its high-energy, contemporary worship services packed with teens and people in their 20s, along with young families, with a worship rock band playing modern Christian songs. The news came as cases among young people in Florida are skyrocketing.

Wheeling, WV. – (6/25/2020) The Wheeling-Ohio County Health Department continues to monitor an outbreak of COVID-19 at the First Baptist Church in Wheeling. As of Friday evening, the health department is monitoring 12 positive cases of COVID-19 linked to the church. The church’s leadership is working with the health department to insure all people exposed have been contacted and tested.

Seoul, South Korea – (6/29/2020) As a rising number of new infection clusters has cropped up in churches in Seoul and its adjacent cities, health authorities are preparing more detailed guidelines to stem the virus's rapid spread at worship houses. The recent infection clusters at Wangsung Church in Seoul's southwestern ward of Gwanak and at Jesus Younggwang Church in the southern city of Anyang added eight and seven more cases on Sunday, respectively, bringing the total caseloads to 27 and 18. The former has 1,700 members while the latter has some 80. Other major outbreaks have been reported at the River of Grace Community Church in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province with 67 cases, the Saengmeyoungsoo Church in Bucheon, Gyeonggi Province, with 50, the Manmin Central Church, a fringe religious church in the southwestern ward of Guro, with 41 cases and the Onchun Church in the southern port city of Busan with 39. There has also been a flurry of infection cells with fewer than five cases. Experts point out that the virus is more likely to spread via airborne droplets in churches where congregants sit close to each other to sing or pray in a poorly ventilated space and have meals together.

Daegu, South Korea – (6/25/2020) The city is suing a church for $82 million dollars in damages caused by their non-compliance with lockdown orders which lead to an outbreak with thousands of people infected as result of the church’s actions.

O’Fallon, MO – (6/23/2020) Pastor Joshua Manning is waiting for test results, but he can tell by the persistent fever and body aches that he probably has the coronavirus. His wife and three kids have symptoms, too, and so many members of his Community Baptist Church in tiny Noel, Missouri, are infected that he’s closing the building until things improve. “We did all the things we were supposed to do,” Manning, 41, said. “We shut down for two months. But the cases have just started to sprout up.” Manning said. “I will be fine. My family will be fine. But the risk is going to be older people. I want to keep them away from the church, keep them at home, because I don’t want that risk for them.”

Church Outbreak Clusters – (6/23/2020) As states across the country lift some or even all restrictions intended to slow the spread of coronavirus, new hotspots of the virus erupt in churches from Oregon to Kentucky to West Virginia. After months of lockdown in which outbreaks of the coronavirus often centered in nursing homes, prisons and meatpacking plants, the nation is entering a new and uncertain phase of the pandemic with new outbreaks associated with bars, strip clubs, and churches.

Union County, OR – (6/16/2020) At least 236 Covid-19 cases have been linked to Lighthouse United Pentecostal Church. The outbreak accounts for 47% of the 462 cases reported statewide since Monday (6/15). Update: (6/23/2020) the outbreak of coronavirus cases linked to a church in northeast Oregon is responsible for almost 90 percent of diagnoses identified in its surrounding county. Greenbrier County, WV – (6/15/2020) The West Virginia Department of Health and Human Resources announced the five-church outbreak in Greenbrier County that has infected at least 79 people, 53 of whom attended services at the churches and the rest were infected by the church members. The church with the most people infected posted a statement saying, “We greatly encouraged anyone who was feeling ill to remain home. Attending church was on a voluntary basis. We exemplified social distancing within the church walls. We made aware and made use of hand sanitizing stations and Antibacterial sprays. We do not understand the source of the outbreak. To the best of our ability we followed the guidelines that were given to us.” The National Guard was called in to help decontaminate the buildings.

Sheboygan, WI – (6/16/2020) A church in Sheboygan County is facing a COVID-19 outbreak with a "cluster of cases" at a local church. Public health officials said 23 confirmed cases are associated with the outbreak and they are working with the church and "it's been going well." Church services have been canceled for the next couple weeks so attendees can stay home and quarantine, Grossman said in the meeting. Public health is also connecting people from the church with testing options.

Springfield, Ohio – (6/15/2020) At least 18 people have been infected with Covid-19 from Victory Faith Center. Public Health officials are continuing to investigate the outbreak, which was spread among employees and volunteers at the church.

Lexington, KY – (6/15/2020) Multiple COVID-19 cases are linked to a Perry County church. The River District Health Department advises if someone attended Trinity Holiness Tabernacle Church from May 24 through June 7, they were potentially exposed to COVID-19 and should monitor for symptoms.

Chula Vista, CA – (6/09/2020) A church is under investigation for violating public health orders after 3 people connected to the church have become infected with Covid-19. Social media posts reveal church members in close proximity and not wearing facial protection. They did not appear to be socially distanced. The church has refused to cooperate with authorities to make their people aware of the potential exposure and they have continued to hold in-person services.

Cartersville, GA – (6/08/2020) The church is cautiously resuming in person services after an outbreak among choir members at the church in March. The services are a bittersweet affair for those returning, as several members of the congregation passed away as a result of contracting COVID-19 during the outbreak. The pastor said the church building has been deep cleaned and sanitized and members will practice social distancing during gathering. The church consulted with state and local officials.

Jessamine County, KY – (6/08/2020) At least 17 people have been infected with Covid-19 after an in-person gathering on May 24th, the church immediately went back to online-only services after receiving the news. He says the church will continue online-only services until at least June 21. If the church deems it is safe to continue in- person services on that date, the services will be held in an outdoor tent.

Bremerhaven, Germany – (6/14/2020) At least 112 people have been infected and one has died from a Covid-19 outbreak tied to a service at a church in early June. Other churches in Germany have seen outbreaks sin May and June.

Butte County, CA – (06/16/2020) A church that held an in-person Mother’s Day gathering in defiance of public health orders which exposed as many as 180 people to Covid-19, has continued to refuse to work with public health officials to identify and help people who may have been exposed. Officials have no idea if people were tested or self-quarantined. The pastor has described his self-quarantine as a “house arrest” and has been unapologetic in his refusal to cooperate and in the church’s subsequent in-person gatherings.

Reports since the beginning of the Pandemic -

Glenview, IL - 43 out of 80 attenders get sick with at least 10 confirmed positive for COVID-19. Bartow County, GA – Most of the 40 cases of COVID-19 in March tied to one church event.

Pulaski County, KY – Church had to address rumors that had cause community anger towards church because of members allegedly refused to abide by quarantine rules after being exposed by another member who tested positive with COVID-19.

Greers Ferry, AR – at least 34 people who attended a children’s event held by the church in early March tested positive for COVID-19.

Chilchinbeto, AZ - A church gathering in early March may be linked to a dozen confirmed cases of coronavirus and at least two deaths.

Lanett, AL – Pastor cancelled all but one special service to celebrate an anniversary. The result was an outbreak among people who attended that service, at least 10 people attending that service tested positive for COVID-19.

Dawson County, KY – Church held revival meetings in mid-March in defiance of Governor’s recommendation for churches to suspend services - 24 cases of COVID-19 and two deaths with an epidemiological link to those revival meetings.

Kansas City, KS – A church conference held in late March is now linked to at least 44 COVID-19 cases and five deaths.

Kansas - Kansas Department of Health and Environment has tracked at least 12 case clusters of COVID -19 that stem from church gatherings.

Chicago, IL – Man hugs people at a funeral and later at a birthday party, he later tested positive for COVID-19. At least 15 people he hugged were later diagnosed with COVID-19 and 3 of them died.

Sacramento, CA – 314 cases of COVID-19 have been linked to church gatherings with 71 cases from one single church who continued to meeting in defiance of the Governor’s orders.

Albany, GA – Number of COVID cases exploded in this town following two funerals. At least 20 people who attended the funerals were diagnosed and the number secondary people infected ballooned. Pastors feel they are being unfairly blamed by the community for the outbreaks.

Skagit County, WA – At least two people have died from Covid-19 and 45 people were diagnosed with COVID-19 after a March 10 choir practice at a Presbyterian church. Communal singing has been linked to outbreaks around the world and churches in many places are being asked not to sing during services in recovery.

Chicago, IL – Church refuses to follow the size and distancing limits on gatherings and encourages members to hug one another saying Jesus will protect them. Community sees them as a threat and has started posting angry comments on their FB page.

Calgary, Alberta – Church mourns as a gathering mid-March which abided by social distancing and hygiene practices still resulted in 24 of 41 attenders being infected with 2 dying. “Under the circumstances, we thought we were going to be safe. We were very diligent about physical distancing, very diligent about hand hygiene.” Pastor says, “I would do anything for a do-over. It's very very hard to live with this reality."

COGIC – As many as 30 bishops and prominent clergy dying of covid-19, the deaths appeared to stem from conferences and funerals held within the denomination through mid-March.

Redwood Valley, CA – Despite guidelines restricting singing while recording livestream services, church ignores the guidelines on Mother’s Day and now the pastor and at least 8 others have been confirmed positive with COVID-19 traced back to this service. Arkansas - CDC conducted a study on the outbreak of an Arkansas church that is closed indefinitely due to an outbreak in which 38% of their congregants were infected after services were held in defiance to health and safety orders. CDC Report is here.

Houston, TX – Despite adherence to 20% capacity and other health and safety guidelines a church closed after five church leaders have tested positive for the disease and one has died.

Paris, France – One mega church prayer meeting in the early days of the pandemic has been linked to 2500 cases of COVID-19.

Lee County, AL – Spread of virus in Lee County linked to small group (<10) church gatherings. “They did what they were told by authorities,” says Dr. Hope. “There were only 10 people at a time in the building, but the infection still spread.”

Sacramento, CA - Sacramento pastor encourages 'civil disobedience' as 30% of county coronavirus cases are linked to church gatherings.

Ringgold, GA – Church that had “reopened” for a couple of weeks suspends in-person gatherings for an indefinite period of time after several families in the church contracted the virus; officials noted that “all modes of social distancing were practiced and followed by the families attending.”

Holly Springs, MS – A church suing the state challenging the restrictions on gatherings is destroyed in a suspected arson fire. Graffiti found in the church parking lot that read: “Bet you stay home now you hypokrites.”

Frankfurt, Germany – A single church service in early May appears to have led to at least 107 COVID-19 infections. Worshippers in Frankfurt were maintaining social distancing, but crowded indoor places with poor ventilation, filled with people talking or singing for long periods of time are one of the riskiest scenarios.

South Korea – South Korean Church become the center of outbreak infecting thousands of people.