President Trump Coming To Charlotte Metro Wednesday

GASTON COUNTY, NC — With two weeks to go before the general election, President Donald Trump is planning a campaign rally in Gaston County Wednesday.

News of the Trump rally — events where attendees typically refuse to wear face coverings or socially distance — comes as the county reports a recent spike in COVID-19 cases. Last week, the county reported that daily COVID-19 case counts were double what they were in August, and that hospitalizations had tripled in the past month.

The Oct. 21 event is set to take place at the Gastonia Municipal Airport at 1030 Gaston Day Road, starting at 7 p.m.

“What an honor to host the president,” Gaston County Republican Party Chairman Jonathan Fletcher, the Gaston Gazette reported.

As of Monday afternoon, however, Gaston County Health Department said it had not yet received formal notification of the rally, and that it could not speculate on how many would be in attendance, the agency said in a statement.

"As with any large gathering, the health department continues to recommend social distancing and mask wearing as best practices," the health department said. "Carrying and using hand sanitizer where opportunity to wash one's hands are not readily available is also important."

Last week, Gaston County marked its 100th coronavirus death. "Each person lost is someone's parent, child, or loved one whose lives are irreplaceable and for whom our community is the worse without them," the county said in a statement.

Mecklenburg County Public Health Director Gibbie Harris warned last week that jumps in COVID-19 spread in surrounding counties, such as Gaston County, are starting to impact Charlotte hospitals. "We are hearing that hospitals in the western part of the state are overwhelmed, and they are diverting patients to the Charlotte area and the Winston-Salem area," Harris said.