Woman who organised anti-quarantine protests in US has coronavirus

A woman who helped to organise anti-quarantine rallies in the US has tested positive for coronavirus.

Audrey Whitlock, a member of Reopen NC (North Carolina) who administers their Facebook page, has been under quarantine herself for two weeks.

Audrey said her quarantine ended Sunday and in a statement to WFAE, she said: "I remained in isolation/self quarantine at my home per the direction of my county health department.

"I have not attended any events for Reopen NC."

She plans to attend a protest today.

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Some of the protesters doubt the official death toll - or think the reaction to the virus is overblown (REUTERS)

Reopen NC's Facebook page has more than 60,000 members and has already held two rallies in the city of Raleigh. Today will be the third.

The group is demanding that Democratic Governor Roy Cooper move faster in reopening the state.

Cooper extended the stay-at-home order until May 8.

At last week's rally, some members of the group tried to stay six feet apart while others did not, report WFAE.

Only a few wore masks.

Protesters gather outside Governor Kate Brown's residence in Salem, Oregon (SIPA USA/PA Images)

In a private post on the group's Facebook account, Whitlock said she had traveled to the West Coast.

“When they started doing antibody testing (select labs) I went and had one done just out of curiosity to see if what I had in Feb was Covid,” Whitlock said, according to the  Raleigh News and Observer. 

“The test came back positive for Covid and negative for the antibodies, so I had a CDC test performed.”

She added: “So this testing and tracing that Cooper is talking about, I have first hand experience that it did not exist in my case,” Whitlock said.

“After an abundance of caution I notified my primary care physician who advised me on what to do, and I have been in my house ever since!"

Supporters of a group called "Open Texas," including one dressed to impersonate Donald Trump (REUTERS)

US President Donald Trump has expressed mixed and contradictory messages about 'reopening' the US economy.

His health officials have warned a possible second wave of coronavirus could be even tougher that the first.

The US currently has the most reported deaths from the pandemic although China's figures - where the disease originated - are not thought to be accurate.