Trump Tests Negative For Coronavirus After Potential Exposure From Brazilian Officials

President Donald Trump tested negative for the novel coronavirus on Saturday, White House doctor Sean Conley said.

Trump had faced increasing pressure to take a test after he had come in contact with a Brazilian official who tested positive for COVID-19.

Photographs showed Trump standing next to Fabio Wajngarten, the press aide to the president of Brazil at his resort in Florida.

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

Trump had initially said he was not worried that he had contracted the disease, but was pressed by a reporter on Friday who questioned if the president was being “selfish” by abstaining from testing, while other administration officials had gone into precautionary self-quarantine.

“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested,” Trump replied.

Conley said the president and him had an “in-depth discussion … regarding COVID-19 testing,” after the press conference. “I received confirmation that the test is negative,” the doctor added.

The spread of the novel coronavirus, which causes flu-like symptoms, prompted Trump to declare a national state of emergency on Friday. As of Sunday in the U.S., there were at least 3,155 confirmed cases in 49 states, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and Washington D.C. and at least 62 people have died.

Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that he has not tested, but “would be more than happy to be tested.”

“I’m going to speak immediately after this press conference with White House physician’s office,” Pence said. “Mrs. Pence and I would be more than happy to be tested.”

Article by Katherine Huggins