The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump tested negative for the coronavirus. This announcement follows the President’s decision to undergo the test on Friday due to concerns about potential exposure to individuals infected with the virus. The test results were released with the President’s permission by press secretary Stephanie Grisham.
The decision to take the test was prompted by President Trump’s close contact with the press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro and Brazil’s chargé d’affaires in Washington, both of whom tested positive for the virus after meeting with the President at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
The US currently has over 2,826 confirmed cases of coronavirus and 58 reported deaths. President Trump has declared a national state of emergency, releasing $50bn to combat the spread of the virus. Additionally, the UK and Ireland have been included in the European travel restrictions imposed in response to the pandemic.