COVID-19 was the surprise guest at Democratic National Convention as attendees test positive for virus

A surprise guest was expected at the Democratic National Convention (DNC) held last week in Chicago.While most were expecting Taylor Swift or Beyonce to turn up, it was COVID-19 - an invisible enemy that tormented much of humanity in the last few years, that arrived at the DNC and infected multiple attendees.

There are growing fears that the DNC may have been a superspreader event, according to a report in theNY Post.

Several attendees took to social media to share their experiences and symptoms, suspecting they may have contracted the virus.

“When you spend five days in Chicago for the DNC and come home with COVID-19. Womp womp,” Christopher Wiggins, a reporter at The Advocate, an LGBTQ magazine, posted on X.

When you spend five days in Chicago for the DNC and come home with COVID-19.

Womp womp. pic.twitter.com/4xXq8PGNTi — Christopher Wiggins (@CWNewser) August 25, 2024

Meanwhile, others sarcastically commented about the surprise guest who in fact did turn up at the venue.

A friend who was at the DNC posted a positive test and said the surprise guest was, in fact, Covid. — Read No Shortcuts (@JoshuaPHilll) August 24, 2024

Akin to the Republican National Convention (RNC) held last month in Milwaukee, the Democrats did not enforce a strict virus mandate either but the rise in cases in Chicago irked the progressive base of the party.

Some slammed the party for organising the DNC at the peak of the COVID-19 summer surge.

"The DNC convention is a superspreader and happening during the peak of one of the largest summer COVID surges of the pandemic," said an X user, going by the name of DrLucky Tran.

"Wow. It's worrying to see how most healthcare workers don't understand vaccines reduce transmission but don't stop COVID spread completely. Having a mass unmasked event during a COVID surge will be a superspreader," they added.

"What is it like being in a room where four years ago this would have been a superspreader event?"

There is so much misinformation in this interview. The DNC convention is a superspreader and happening during the peak of one of the largest summer COVID surges of the pandemic. pic.twitter.com/PDE2Z44YzI — Dr. Lucky Tran (@luckytran) August 23, 2024

It's infuriating that the DNC required no mitigations during a massive covid surge. It's so irresponsible on a community level but also so short-sighted. These are the most engaged Democrats in the country, & now they're all gonna be out of the fight for weeks, months, or forever https://t.co/6JKhTEwvS4 — David Kronig @davekronig.bsky.social (@DaveKronig) August 25, 2024

While the COVID-19 numbers are still well below the pandemic levels, the deaths associated with the virus have steadily risen across the US since June, according to theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID Data Tracker.

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What happened at the DNC?

The four-day convention saw Kamala Harris and Tim Walz being formally announced as thepresident and vice president candidates respectively for the November elections.

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Harris, who was fast-tracked as the presidential nominee after Joe Biden dropped his re-election bid, was declared as the candidate without any significant hurdle.

(With inputs from agencies)