President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Trump has tested positive for the coronavirus, and will start quarantine barely a month before the US presidential election.
According to a signed memorandum from the president’s physician confirming, both Mr and Mrs Trump, 74 had tested positive on Thursday evening.
“The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain home at the White House during their convalescence,” Sean Conley, the president’s physician, said.
“Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering,” he added.
The President while announcing his positive test in a tweet wrote “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19, We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Mrs Trump tweeted: “As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & have postponed all upcoming engagements.”
Earlier on Thursday Trump disclosed that he and the First Lady had been tested for the virus after Hope Hicks, one of his top aides tested positive for the virus.
Trump wrote “Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible!” Trump tweeted Thursday. “The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!”
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major leader in March. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fell ill in July and had a series of positive tests. Both men recovered.
Trump recently appeared at a rally in Duluth, Minnesota, on Wednesday. Before that, he traveled to Cleveland, Ohio, on Tuesday for the first presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. Trump took part in a fundraiser and a roundtable in Bedminster, New Jersey, earlier in the day Thursday.
Trump has been found to generally be in good health in past annual physicals, though like many Americans he takes a statin drug designed to lower his cholesterol.
The results of his latest physical, announced in June, showed that he weighed 244 pounds, up from 243 last year. But his total cholesterol dropped to 167 from 196 last year. Trump’s blood pressure at the time was measured at 121 over 79.
Several White House aides have tested positive in the past, including a top spokeswoman to Vice President Mike Pence, a Navy valet who was in the same room as the president on the day the person began experiencing symptoms.
The United States holds the highest number of Covid-19 cases in the world and largest number of deaths. The U.S has recorded 7.2 million cases and 207,000 deaths.
By; Ifunanya Ikueze
