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Donald Trump has “mild symptoms” after contracting the coronavirus, the White House said.
The president of the United States and his wife Melania isolate themselves after positive test for COVID-19, just one month before the US elections.
A White House official told NBC News that Trump is experiencing “mild symptoms” and is working from his residence.
The official insisted that “everything remains the same” for the president and revealed that discussions are underway about whether he will address the American public later today.
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Barron, the Trumps’ 14-year-old son, tested negative virus and “every precaution is being taken to ensure he remains safe and sound,” the first lady’s chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, told NBC News.
The president confirmed on Twitter that he and Mrs. Trump had been diagnosed with COVID-19, saying, “We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through it TOGETHER!”
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World leaders and Trump’s election rival Joe Biden offered messages of support, who said he was sending his thoughts to the couple “for a speedy recovery.”
“We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family,” Biden said.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who spent time in intensive care with COVID-19 in April, said: “I think we all want to send our best wishes to the president and the first lady.
“I’m sure they will both have a very strong recovery.”
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Russian President Vladimir Putin also expressed “sincere support” for Mr. and Mrs. Trump “at this difficult time,” according to the Kremlin.
He said Putin sent a message to the US president, saying: “I hope your inherent vitality, good spirits and optimism will help you cope with the dangerous virus.”
Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she hoped Trump’s diagnosis could be a “learning experience” about the virus and warned against “cheeky” behavior that would allow “something like that to happen.”
“Let’s all pray for the president’s health,” he told MSNBC. “This is tragic, it is very sad.”
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Trump is 74 years old and his health records earlier this year showed that he is categorized as obese, putting him at higher risk for serious complications from the virus.
He is now expected to isolate himself for two weeks while facing treatment for disease.
Trump’s doctor, Sean Conley, said the president and first lady would remain in the White House during their period of isolation.
He said: “Please be assured that I look forward to the President continuing to serve without interruption while he recovers, and I will keep you posted on any future developments.”
On Twitter, Mrs. Trump said, “As many Americans have done this year, (the president) and I are self-quarantined at home after testing positive for COVID-19.
“We feel good and I have postponed all the next engagements. Please make sure you are safe and we will all get through this together.”
Before testing positive for COVID-19, Trump had said that he and his wife were isolating themselves after Hope Hicks, one of his top aides, contracted the virus.
Hicks, who serves as the president’s counselor, is Trump’s closest aide to test positive for coronavirus so far.
She had traveled with the president several times for the past week, including on the Marine One presidential helicopter and Air Force One until the first presidential debate on Tuesday night.
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US Vice President Mike Pence, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Trump’s daughter Ivanka, and his son-in-law and senior adviser, Jared Kushner, have tested negative for the virus since the president’s diagnosis.
Trump’s positive test comes as the virus continues to spread at an alarming rate in the United States, even as the president has tried to downplay the threat of the disease.
More than 200,000 people have died in the US after contracting COVID-19 and more than seven million people in the country have been infected with the disease.
But Trump has continued to hold campaign rallies that have drawn thousands of supporters during the pandemic.
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His diagnosis now calls into question the nature of the rest of the campaign, including the two remaining presidential debates.
The next debate is scheduled for October 15 in Miami.
Two days before testing positive, during the first debate, Trump disparaged his Democratic rival Joe biden for wearing masks frequently and not having campaign rallies the same size as yours.
The president continued to shake hands with visitors despite warning from public health officials and also initially resisting being examined. Trump also refused to wear a mask in public in almost all circumstances.
