Oklahoma is leading the nation in new coronavirus infection rates — and President Trump hasn't even had his Tulsa rally yet.
Eric Feigl-Ding, an epidemiologist and public health scientist at Harvard University, shared analysis Thursday from his team of researchers that showed how much each state's coronavirus infection rate had grown in the past week. Oklahoma topped the list of states with the largest increase in the rate of new cases, up 111 percent — more than double — from the week before. Feigl-Ding described the rate growth as "exponential and meteoric," and then warn Oklahomans against attending Trump's campaign rally this weekend.
Trump is set to appear at the BOK Center on Saturday, which holds close to 20,000 people. The facility released a statement Thursday spelling out what it would do to prevent virus spread during the rally, including handing out masks to everyone who attends, and asked the Trump campaign to share its own health and safety plan.
But given that Trump has tried to claim the coronavirus is "dying out" and resisted wearing a mask himself, it seems unlikely he will implore his fans to listen to the BOK Center's suggestions.