Two more campaign staffers who attended President Donald Trump’s rally in Tulsa, US state Oklahoma, on Saturday have tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the campaign.
The new test results bring the number of Trump’s campaign staffers for the Tulsa event who have tested positive for COVID-19 up to eight, including two secret service agents.
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On Monday, Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh said, “After another round of testing for campaign staff in Tulsa, two additional members of the advance team tested positive for the coronavirus”.
“These staff members attended the rally but were wearing masks during the entire event. Upon the positive tests, the campaign immediately activated established quarantine and contact tracing protocols,” Murtaugh said.
Earlier, six members of his own Tulsa advance team had tested positive for COVID-19.
The rally has been controversial not just because of the virus risk. Originally it was scheduled for Friday — the Juneteenth commemoration of the end of slavery in the US — in a city known for one of the deadliest-ever massacres of African Americans.
Earlier, Trump has claimed victory over the pandemic that has killed some 120,000 Americans, saying “I have done a phenomenal job with it!”
Oklahoma officials on Monday reported 478 new coronavirus cases, a record high for the state.
The Tulsa rally was Trump’s first such campaign event since the coronavirus pandemic began in March. Trump’s next campaign event is set to occur in Phoenix, Arizona, on Tuesday.