Donald Trump has not been tested for coronavirus: White House

WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump has not been tested for the coronavirus, the White House said on Monday, though at least two lawmakers with whom he has recently come into contact have announced they were self-quarantining after attending a conference with a person who had tested positive for the virus.

“The President has not received COVID-19 testing because he has neither had prolonged close contact with any known confirmed COVID-19 patients, nor does he have any symptoms.

President Trump remains in excellent health, and his physician will continue to closely monitor him, White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement, referring to the acronym describing the virus.

Alarm mounted further after at least two Republican lawmakers who recently met with the president announced they were going into self-quarantine, fearing that they were exposed to the virus at a conservative conference just outside Washington.

One of them, Representative Matt Gaetz, was travelling with Trump on Air Force One on Monday.

Another, Representative Doug Collins, was with Trump on Friday during a coronavirus briefing at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention headquarters.

Earlier, Vice President Mike Pence when asked Trump had been tested for the virus had said, “I really don’t know the answer to the question, but we’ll refer that question and we will get you an answer from the White House physician very quickly.