U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that he and his wife Melania had tested positive for COVID-19 and were going into quarantine, upending the race for the White House.
“We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” the president said in a late night tweet.
The results came after news that Hope Hicks, a top adviser and trusted aide, had tested positive for the new coronavirus earlier on Thursday.
Trump, who is tested regularly for the virus that causes COVID-19, has held rallies with thousands of people in recent weeks in the run-up to the Nov. 3 election, despite warnings from public health professionals against having events with large crowds, Reuters reported.
The president largely eschews wearing masks and has criticized others who do. Public health professionals say mask-wearing is key to helping to prevent the virus from spreading.
Trump’s positive test caps a months-long response to the virus, the seriousness of which he has consistently underplayed. Earlier on Thursday night the president predicted that the end of the pandemic was in sight.
Trump and Melania test positive for COVID-19
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