Four Republican Convention Attendees Test Positive For COVID-19 Following Lax Enforcement Of Precautions

Four people who attended the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, tested positive for the coronavirus and have been instructed to isolate immediately, Mecklenberg County officials said Friday.

The four-day GOP conclave concluded Thursday night with President Trump’s acceptance speech from the South Lawn of the White House. During the gathering, there was little evidence of social distancing or mask-wearing despite local regulations.

Unlike the Democratic convention last week, which was completely virtual, Republicans conducted business on site. Some remarks were delivered at the Charlotte Convention Center – including by Trump as delegates selected him as their candidate and swarmed the stage.

The latest figures from Weather.com show the Charlotte area has had 24,744 confirmed cases of infection, with 199 cases added Thursday, and 284 COVID-19 deaths. The county death rate is up 5.5% from last week.

Republican party officials were at odds with local authorities over coronavirus precautions before the convention, with Trump objecting so strongly to social distancing and other restrictions, plans were made to move much of the activity to Jacksonville, Florida – a plan that was thwarted by a surge in cases last month throughout Florida.

Mecklenburg Public Health Director Gibbie Harris told the Charlotte Observer she raised concerns with party officials as early as Monday.

“All attendees agreed to comply with the requirements prior to attending and were informed that these requirements would be enforced,” Harris said. Observers said, however, compliance with mask rules was only about 50%.

Attendees were tested before traveling to Charlotte and again after arrival.

The full scope of possible infections was not expected to be known for two weeks. Delegates wore special badges to track with whom they came into contact to aid in contact tracing.

County officials said they did not expect convention infections to affect the greater area population.

“There have been no known incidences during the five days of RNC meetings in Charlotte where the public has potentially been exposed to an individual involved in the event [local or otherwise] who may have tested positive for COVID,” Harris said.