Trump tests negative for coronavirus – White House doctor

President Jair Bolsonaro (R), along with his Press Secretary, Fabio Wajngarten (2-L, partially obscured), during a meeting with US President Donald Trump (L), at the Mar-a-Lago residence in Palm Beach 7 March 2020Image copyright
EPA

Image caption

Fabio Wajngarten (2nd left partially obscured) was pictured standing behind President Trump in the meeting with President Jair Bolsonaro

US President Donald Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus, the White House physician has said.

“This evening I received confirmation that the test is negative,” Sean Conley said in a statement on Saturday.

Mr Trump underwent a test days after hosting a meeting at his Florida resort with a Brazilian delegation, some of whom have tested positive.

Fabio Wajngarten, an aide to the Brazilian president, was among those later confirmed to have the disease.

“One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the president remains symptom-free,” Mr Conley said.

  • US to extend travel ban to UK and Ireland
  • Can the US catch up on coronavirus testing?

Mr Trump, aged 73, did not self-isolate after that meeting, saying he had no symptoms.

But after a barrage of further questions during a new conference at the White House, he said he would get tested.

He was checked on Friday, the White House physician said.

“I have been in daily contact with the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and White House Coronavirus Task Force, and we are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation,” Mr Conley’s statement said.

Official US advice is that people who have contact with a confirmed case should stay at home for 14 days.

The US has more than 2,700 confirmed cases, with 54 deaths.

On Friday, President Trump declared a national state of emergency to release $50bn (£40bn) to fight the spread of the virus.

What about the Mar-a-Lago visit?

Mr Wajngarten, a press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, posted a photograph of himself standing close to Mr Trump.

The Brazilian official tested positive several days after that visit.

Other Brazilians in Mr Bolsonaro’s entourage at Mar-a-Lago have since tested positive including lawyer Karina Kufa, Senator Nelsinho Trad and Brazil’s ambassador to the US, Nestor Forster.

Miami Mayor Francis Suarez – who also met Mr Wajngarten during his US trip – announced on Friday that he had been infected.

The Brazilian delegation also met Mr Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump, his son-in-law Jared Kushner and his personal lawyer Rudy Giuliani.

Meanwhile, Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, also present at Mar-a-Lago, has announced that he will self-quarantine “in an abundance of caution”.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionA doctor who became a patient describes what it’s like to get tested for coronavirus

Which other politicians have been tested for the virus?

Earlier this week, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced he would enter 14 days of self-quarantine after his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, tested positive for the virus.

Speaking to reporters, the prime minister said he was taking advice from doctors and “it was explained to me that as long as I show no symptoms at all there is no value in being tested”.

Image copyright
Reuters

Image caption

Spanish PM Pedro Sánchez and his wife Begoña Gómez

In Spain, Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s wife Begoña Gómez tested positive for the virus, the government confirmed.

Officials said they both remained in the prime minister’s residence at La Moncloa in Madrid and were doing fine.

Spain is Europe’s worst-hit country after Italy.

Meanwhile in the UK, health minister and Conservative MP Nadine Dorries was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier this week.

Ms Dorries said she has been self-isolating at home.

Ten more people in the UK have died in the past 24 hours after testing positive for coronavirus, bringing the total number of deaths to 21.

Media playback is unsupported on your device

Media captionIraj Harirchi mopped his brow at a news conference before testing positive for coronavirus disease.

Last month, Iran’s Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi was confirmed as being infected.

The minister was earlier seen sweating profusely at a news conference.

Iran is one of the countries worst-hit by the virus, with more than 600 deaths confirmed.

The virus has spread to every province in Iran, and people are fearful that the true scale of the outbreak is even worse than is being disclosed.

source: bbc.com