Trump says he ‘most likely’ will be tested for coronavirus
President Donald Trump said he will “most likely” be tested for coronavirus during a press conference Friday announcing a national emergency over the COVID-19 pandemic.
Trump took a picture with a Brazil official who tested positive for coronavirus six days ago after an event last week at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested,” Trump said after reporters asked several questions about the Brazilian official.
“Most likely, yeah,” Trump said. “I think I will do it anyway. Fairly soon. We’re working out a schedule.”
UPDATE: Trump won’t be tested after shaking hands with Brazilian official who got the coronavirus
Previously during the press conference, Trump said he wasn’t sure he had exposure and doesn’t have any symptoms.
Trump posed for a picture with Fabio Wajngarten, the press secretary to Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro. Wajngarten tested positive for the virus, according to CNN.
Bolsonaro had a negative test for coronavirus, Trump said. The president said he didn’t plan to self-isolate.
“I don’t know that I had exposure,” Trump said. “But I don’t have any of the symptoms.”
On Thursday, South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham announced he was going to self-quarantine after attending the same event at Trump’s resort.
More than 135,000 people worldwide have been infected with the coronavirus and more than 5,000 have died as of Friday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University. In the United States there are more than 1,700 confirmed cases of the virus and 40 people have died.
The World Health Organization this week declared the COVID-19 virus a global pandemic.
On Wednesday, President Donald Trump announced a 30-day ban on travel from Europe to the United States. Events across the nation have been canceled or postponed as a result of the outbreak, including the pro basketball, baseball, hockey and soccer seasons.
This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 4:45 PM with the headline "Trump says he ‘most likely’ will be tested for coronavirus."
