At Least Four People Have Already Tested Positive for Coronavirus After Attending the RNC

At least four people have already tested positive for the novel coronavirus after attending the Republican National Convention, according to media reports. Two attendees and two individuals who worked the event have tested positive, says an official release from North Carolina’s Mecklenburg County.

The individuals were isolated.

RNC Communications Director Michael Ahrens said, “Out of roughly 1,000 tests administered, two RNC attendees, despite having negative tests prior to travel, and two Charlotte locals who planned to serve as event support staff tested positive upon arrival. All were sent home.”

A county release states that “approximately 792 COVID-19 tests were conducted among individuals attending or providing support to the Republican National Convention (RNC) Meeting in the City of Charlotte.”

Most people who attended the event did not wear masks.

The news comes after President Donald Trump’s electoral opponent, Democrat Joe Biden, said Trump hosted a “super spreader” event at the White House when he formally accepted his party’s nomination for the presidency.

“Mr. President, Americans are canceling weddings and holding funerals without family. They’re sacrificing so more Americans don’t have to die. But instead of leading by example, you hosted a super spreader event on the South Lawn. When will you take the presidency seriously?” Biden tweeted.

President Trump was widely criticized in June for hosting a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, an event Bruce Dart, the director of the Tulsa City–County Health Department, said contributed to a surge in coronavirus cases.

“Right now we do have the highest number of cases [in Oklahoma],” Dart said at the time. “We’ve had some significant events in the past few weeks that more than likely contributed to that.”

Of the Trump rally, Dart said, “The past two days we’ve had almost 500 cases, and we knew we had several large events a little over two weeks ago, which is about right. So I guess we just connect the dots.”

Alan Ryland

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.