Explainer | Super spreader events: how do they cause coronavirus outbreaks and is the White House now a hotspot?
- Supreme Court nomination event at Rose Garden seen as possible source of infection after Trump and other attendees test positive for Covid-19
- Combination of 180-plus crowd sitting close together, lack of masks and small gatherings indoors could have resulted in cluster of cases
Signs point to the ceremony to nominate Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court on September 26 as a possible source of the coronavirus infections afflicting US President Donald Trump and many members of his inner circle, including wife Melania, former White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway and Trump adviser Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey.
Though the activity was held outdoors at the Rose Garden, most of the 180-plus people there sat close to each other for an extended period, and most did not wear masks. There were smaller indoor gatherings as part of the occasion. That combination may have resulted in a super spreader event, the type that leads to a cluster of infections.
Others at the ceremony who tested positive for the virus include Republican Senators Mike Lee of Utah and Thom Tillis of North Carolina; John Jenkins, president of Notre Dame University; and a reporter covering the announcement.
Several other persons who have been around the president but did not attend the Rose Garden ceremony also tested positive for the virus last week. They include senior adviser Hope Hicks, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien and two other journalists who cover the president. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she has tested positive on Monday morning.
Here’s what you should know about super spreaders:
What is a super spreader event?