President Trump's campaign rally and related protests in Tulsa in late June "more than likely" contributed to the area's recent surge in confirmed coronavirus cases, Tulsa City-County Health Department Director Dr. Bruce Dart said Wednesday.
Why it matters: Public health officials, including Dart himself, had urged the campaign to postpone the rally, fearing that a large indoor gathering with few people wearing masks could accelerate the spread of the virus.
What they're saying: “In the past few days, we’ve seen almost 500 new cases, and we had several large events just over two weeks ago, so I guess we just connect the dots,” Dart said.
- Asked about Dart's comments at a press briefing Wednesday, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany responded: "I would just say I have no data to indicate that on my end. It is the decision of individuals whether they go. We encourage the wearing of masks."
The state of play: Tulsa County confirmed 261 new coronavirus cases on Monday and 206 cases on Tuesday. The state has over 17,000 confirmed coronavirus cases, per Johns Hopkins University.
- At least eight Trump campaign staffers tested positive for the coronavirus, including two who attended the rally.
