US polls: Study links 30K COVID-19 cases, 700 deaths to Trump rallies

But some Democrats worry that voters of color may not be excited about Biden and wont show up in force to support him, which could be devastating in fiercely contested battleground states like Pennsylvania and Michigan

President Donald Trump is mounting one final test of whether the massive crowds that often show up at his signature rallies will translate into votes as he finishes the final 48 hours of his reelection campaign with a dizzying onslaught of events in the battleground states that could decide the race.

He will hold five rallies in five states on Sunday alone. He'll hold seven more on Monday to close out the final full day of the campaign.

Down in the polls and at a cash disadvantage to his Democratic rival, Joe Biden, Trump is turning to rallies to help keep his message in front of voters. "Let me ask you, is there a better place to be anytime, anywhere than a Trump rally?" Trump asked a massive crowd Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, that responded in roaring approval.

Out to reshape the race

Trump and Biden are out of time to reshape the race. Instead, they're focusing on their base and making sure that any potential supporters have either already voted or plan to do so in person on Tuesday. For Biden, that means paying close attention to Black voters.

But some Democrats worry that voters of color may not be excited about Biden and won't show up in force to support him, which could be devastating in fiercely contested battleground states like Pennsylvania and Michigan.

Biden will spend much of Sunday in Philadelphia encouraging voters to turn out. He'll participate in a "souls to the polls" event that's aimed at encouraging Black church congregations to organise and vote.

A high price

Meanwhile, a new study by Stanford University researchers titled 'The Effects of Large Group Meetings on the Spread of COVID-19: The Case of Trump Rallies', researchers concluded 18 rallies by Trump held between June 20 and September 22 "ultimately resulted in over 30,000 incremental confirmed cases of COVID-19" and "likely led to more than 700 deaths", which may not necessarily have been among attendees.

"Our analysis strongly supports the warnings and recommendations of public health officials concerning the risk of COVID-19 transmission at large gatherings, particularly when the degree of compliance with norms concerning the use of masks and social distancing is low. The communities in which Trump rallies took place paid a high price in terms of disease and death," the researchers said. The study, released on Friday, noted that more than 8.7 million Americans have contracted COVID-19, resulting in more than 225,000 deaths.

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No. of Trump's rallies that have led to thousands of cases

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