Tulsa County reports 259 new coronavirus cases

Tulsa County, Okla., reported 259 new COVID-19 cases since Tuesday, days after President Trump held a rally in the state over the weekend, according to ABC affiliate KTUL.

Cases of the coronavirus shot up nearly 90 percent in the state last week before the rally, leading the director of the Tulsa Health Department to urge the rally to be rescheduled, to no avail.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health said the state is reporting a total of 482 new positive cases since Tuesday, sending Oklahoma’s total number of cases since the pandemic began to 11,510.

KTUL reported the state’s first case was on March 6.

The health department said there was one new coronavirus-related death — a female between the ages of 36-49 from Garfield County — which did not occur in the past 24 hours.

The department added that 8,144 of the total positive cases tested had recovered from the illness, and the death toll in the state is currently at 372 reported fatalities from the virus.

Trump’s rally over the weekend was subject to heavy scrutiny, not only for its smaller-than-projected turnout but also for being the nation’s first significant political indoor event following the implementation of pandemic restrictions earlier this year.

The Tulsa Fire Department reported Saturday’s attendance for the rally was around 6,200 people, leaving ample room and empty seats in the BOK Center, which can house up to 19,000 people at a time.

Before the rally, the Trump campaign revealed six staffers reportedly contracted the virus, with an additional two members also confirming cases following the rally.

While it is still too early to detect whether new cases in Tulsa County could be linked to the president’s rally,the Oklahoma State Department of Health said contact tracing is being conducted and keeps records of people who may have been exposed at large gatherings or events.

The agency will notify businesses or venues in the event of reported outbreaks at specific locations, but it is up to the business to disclose the message to the public if any localized outbreak is attributed to the vicinity.