Topline
Eleven people involved with setup and planning for Tuesday’s presidential debate tested positive for the coronavirus, though none of them reportedly entered the debate hall itself, officials announced Friday, the latest reports of potential virus cases in President Donald Trump’s orbit since he tweeted that he tested positive early Friday morning.
Key Facts
Most of the 11 people who tested positive do not live in Ohio, the city of Cleveland announced Friday, and none of them are Cleveland residents.
The Cleveland Clinic, which hosted the debate, later clarified Friday evening that none of the 11 people accessed the debate hall, and they were all either members of the media or scheduled to help with setup.
City public health officials are still working through contact tracing for the 11 people.
The city said everyone with debate credentials was expected to be tested before entering the venue, though experts say it can sometimes take as long as a week before someone exposed to Covid-19 begins producing positive tests.
However, debate moderator Chris Wallace suggested Friday on Fox News that Trump and some of his staff were not tested at the debate venue itself because they arrived too late to receive tests, noting that both campaigns were subject to an “honor system.”
The Commission on Presidential Debates did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Key Background
Trump confirmed he and his wife, Melania, caught the coronavirus