Coronavirus: Trump tests negative for virus says White House

President objected to test as he feared it would portray weakness, say reports

Donald Trump has tested negative for the new coronavirus, according to the president’s personal physician.

Just hours after saying he had been tested for the disease the following night, and confusing some observers by saying the results might not be known for some days, the White House announced the 73-year-old president had tested negative.

“Last night after an in-depth discussion with the president regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed,” said a statement Dr Sean Conley, Mr Trump’s doctor, released by White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham.

“One week after having dinner with the Brazilian delegation in Mar-a-Lago, the president remains symptom-free. I have been in daily contact with the CDC and White House coronoavirus Task Force, and we are encouraging the implementation of all their best practices for exposure reduction and transmission mitigation.”

There had been calls for Mr Trump to get tested, and journalist even asked if the president was being “selfish” by not doing so, after it emerged he had been in close contact with several visitors to the White House who had subsequently tested positive.

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Among them was an aide to the president of Brazil.

On Saturday morning, a day after saying he would “likely” get tested, journalists were made to follow a new protocol and have their temperatures checked – a possible sign of infection. At least one journalist was turned away.

When he spoke to reporters, Mr Trump said he had his temperature checked before entering the room. He also said he had been tested for COVID-19 and that he was waiting on the results.

“I had my temperature taken coming into the room,” he said. “I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference last night.”

Of his temperature, he added: “It was totally normal. If it wasn’t, I wouldn’t have been here.”

Asked how long the results would take to come back, Mr Trump said: “A day, two days. They send it to a lab.”

The president had multiple direct and indirect contacts with people who have since tested positive for the virus, including three people he spent time with last weekend at his Mar-a-Lago club in Florida.

The Brazilian Embassy in Washington said late on Friday that the country’s charge d’affaires, Nestor Forster, tested positive after sitting at Mr Trump’s dinner table.

So did a top aide to Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who took a photo with Mr Trump and attended a party with him, and another person who attended a campaign fundraiser with the president that Sunday, according to two Republican officials who spoke on condition of anonymity in order to discuss private health matters.

Mr Trump, after days of insisting that he was not exhibiting symptoms of the virus, relented after being pressed by reporters about his resistance to testing when multiple politicians and countless citizens across the country who have had the same degree of exposure have not only tried to get tested, but also chosen to try to avoid potentially infecting others.

The president, according to two people close to the White House, had been reluctant to take the test for fear it would project weakness or worry. Mr Trump has wanted to appear in full control during the crisis, and had expressed concerns that taking personal steps could undermine that appearance.

On Saturday, Mr Trump urged Americans to consider not travelling domestically during the crisis. Meanwhile, the UK and Ireland were added t the travel ban list targeting Europe.

Additional reporting by Associated Press