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Health officials urge people who attended Trump rally to get tested for coronavirus

After President Donald Trump and several members of his staff were infected with coronavirus, health officials say anyone who attended recent events in North Carolina featuring members of Trump's family should get tested for the virus.

Posted Updated

By
Joe Fisher
, WRAL multimedia journalist
RALEIGH, N.C. — After President Donald Trump and several members of his staff were infected with coronavirus, health officials say anyone who attended recent events in North Carolina featuring members of Trump's family should get tested for the virus.
Ivanka Trump, the president's daughter, was in the Charlotte area on Thursday, where she visited three businesses in Belmont. All three were closed Friday for disinfecting, even though Ivanka Trump and her husband both tested negative for the virus.
Daughter-in-law Lara Trump was in Wake County on Monday for a campaign rally attended by about 200 people – most of whom didn't wear masks or practice social distancing.

A spokesperson for Lara Trump tweeted late Friday that both she and her husband, Eric Trump, have tested negative for the virus.

Lara Trump was introduced at the rally, held at Finnigan’s Run Farm in New Hill, by Susan Tillis, the wife of U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis.
Tillis said Friday evening that he has tested positive and would be in isolation for several days. There was no word on whether his wife also was infected.

“It’s a reminder that anyone can get this virus," Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the state Department of Health and Human Services, said of the president's diagnosis.

Alan Swain, the Republican candidate in North Carolina's 2nd Congressional District, attended the New Hill rally and took a photo with Lara Trump.

“They have not reached out to us," Swain said Friday. "I do know the people that hosted it are waiting to hear also because the word will get out with what they want to do next."

The Wake County Health Department said no coronavirus cases have been linked to the rally so far. Likewise, Cumberland County Health Director Dr. Jennifer Green said her office hasn't identified any virus clusters from the president's rally in Fayetteville two weeks ago.

Swain said he hasn't been tested for the virus, but Cohen said that, with widespread testing availability, anyone who attends such a large event should get tested.

“Get tested if you think you’ve been exposed and, certainly, going to events where there are a lot of people gathered closely together without masks, that would definitely be something we would want someone to get a test if they have been to any kind of event," she said.

With COVID-19 in the White House, Cohen stressed the importance of wearing a mask to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Masks work. There is science and evidence that tell us they work," she said. "So we really want everyone to be wearing a face covering or a mask when they are not with anyone not from their immediate household.”

“You have to be careful everywhere you go – mask, mask, social distancing," Swain agreed. "It’s probably more impactful right now with what’s going on in D.C."

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