Tulsa arena hosts thousands for rally amid virus fears

TULSA, Okla. (AP) — Thousands of supporters of the President showed up in an indoor arena for a rally that experts fear could help fuel nascent spikes of coronavirus cases in some places. Those concerns that were amplified after six staffers helping to set up the event tested positive for the virus.

State and city health department officials in Oklahoma were already bracing for a possible surge in COVID-19 cases from the recent reopenings of various public spaces and large outdoor demonstrations against police brutality held across the country.

Officials said around 100,000 people in total, from multiple states, were expected to converge on Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday, but there were thousands of empty seats inside the venue.