US President Donald Trump's massive campaign rallies have led to more than 30,000 confirmed COVID-19 cases and likely caused the death of 700 Americans, a study concludes.
The Stanford University paper released Friday took a close look at 18 Trump rallies between June and September and followed subjects "up to 10 post-rally weeks for each event".
"The communities in which Trump rallies took place paid a high price in terms of disease and death," researchers said.
Rates of COVID-19 often rose notably in communities that hosted the events, compared with nearby towns where Trump stayed away, the study found.
"There are some indications that compliance with public health guidelines, such as the use of masks, improved at later rallies," researchers wrote.
"While it would be worth evaluating the diminution of treatment effects resulting from greater compliance, we currently lack sufficient compliance data to conduct that investigation."
The Trump campaign has insisted it offers participants masks and temperature checks at his rallies.
A Biden spokesman slammed the Trump rallies as superspreader events that violate common-sense public health rules.
Biden's rallies have featured smaller invitation-only crowds, with more masks and social distancing.
Australian Associated Press
