Mardi Gras this year, as we now realize was a 'perfect storm' for virus spread in New Orleans... It seemed at first like a statistical outlier as there was a fairly long delay and cause-and-effect are always a politically touchy subject.
This worldwide festival at the start of Lent is also celebrated in Spain and Italy and elsewhere, under different names. Italy, Spain and New Orleans are three areas of the World where the virus spread extremely rapidly. Coincidence, omen or what? It is hard to think that all three instances are not connected to a common statistical model. OTOH if there is a direct connection to the dynamics of viral spread with Carnival, then why was Rio, the biggest party of all - left out from the devastation? ... or was it? Sadly accurate numbers may be hidden away in what is normally a higher than average death rate - and the worst viral devastation of all has yet to be announced.
