Trump met second person who then tested positive for coronavirus, says doctor

14 March 2020 - 09:31 By Reuters
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General view of the White House in Washington, US.
General view of the White House in Washington, US.
Image: REUTERS/Mary F. Calvert

US President Donald Trump encountered a second individual last weekend who later tested positive for coronavirus, but the president did not require testing for the virus or quarantining, the White House physician said on Friday.

Trump last weekend dined with a group that included Brazil's communications secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, who Brazilian officials say has now been tested positive for coronavirus.

White House physician Dr Sean P Conley said another guest at the dinner at Mar-a-Lago whom the president briefly came in contact with started to show symptoms of Covid-19 three days later and has since been confirmed to have the virus.

The encounter was "low risk" and there was no need for the president to "home quarantine", Conley said in a statement late on Friday.

"The president's exposure to the first individual was extremely limited (photograph, handshake) and though he spent more time in closer proximity to the second case, all interactions occurred before any symptom onset," he said. 

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