On October 17, 2020, health officials in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina announced a COVID-19 outbreak was linked to the United House of Prayer's "Holy Convocation" held at the Charlotte motherhouse on October 4-11. The event drew at least 1,000 people from North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, New Jersey and New York. Over 140 positive tests for the virus have been linked to the convocation. Of those cases, seven people required hospital care, and five people have died. Health officials were also trying to identify 192 close contacts