A 51-year-old man from Riverside County, California, died of coronavirus a day after he posted a message expressing his regret about attending a party, after which he contracted the virus.

Thomas Macias, a truck driver who had diabetes, stayed in isolation in the initial days of the coronavirus pandemic. However, in the beginning of June, he decided to attend a party after the restrictions were lifted.

"He had diabetes, so he was doing everything he could to stay isolated, he would wear is mask if he had to go out. Then when he heard restrictions were being lifted, things were becoming more lenient, a friend of his put together a barbecue. So he said, 'Okay this is my chance to see my friends,’” Macias's brother-in-law, Gus Lopez, told CBS News.

On June 11, Macias visited Lopez who noticed that the former was “not feeling well.”

“He was a little sweaty. He just thought it was related to his diabetes,” Lopez told the channel.

The following day, Macias was informed that a person who attended the party had tested positive for the deadly virus. Following this, Macias decided to get tested and his results came back positive. On June 20, Macias took to Facebook to express regret and warn people to take the pandemic seriously.

"I went out a couple of weeks ago ... because of my stupidity I put my mom and sisters and my family's health in jeopardy. This has been a very painful experience. This is no joke. If you have to go out, wear a mask, and practice social distancing. ... Hopefully with God's help, I'll be able to survive this,” he wrote.

Unfortunately, he succumbed to the virus the following day.

"He had so many friends that he wanted to make sure they all knew what he was going through, and that they could avoid it," Lopez told CBS news.

Speaking about the virus, Lopez said, "This kills people. People should follow the guidelines that are out there – not because the government is asking us to, but because the doctors and the experts, people who really know what they're talking about, are saying it.”

As of Thursday (July 2) night, Riverside County has over 19,500 confirmed cases and over 450 deaths. Meanwhile, California remained one of the worst affected states in the United States with over 2,48,000 cases.

Drivers in their vehicles wait in a long line at a coronavirus testing site in Los Angeles, California
Drivers in their vehicles wait in a long line at a coronavirus testing site in Los Angeles, California AFP / Frederic J. BROWN
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