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Trump and wife Melania test positive for coronavirus; world leaders wish speedy recovery

WION Web Team
Washington, DC, United States of AmericaUpdated: Oct 02, 2020, 05:47 PM IST
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US President Donald Trump and his wife Melania Photograph:(AFP)

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Trump and his wife had already begun a quarantine process after Hope Hicks, a top advisor and trusted aide, tested positive for the coronavirus.

United States President Donald Trump and his wife, Melania, have tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Trump said in a tweet early Friday: "Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!"

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Melania Trump tweeted, "As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together."

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Trump and his wife had begun a quarantine process after Hope Hicks, a top advisor and trusted aide, tested positive for the coronavirus. Hicks travels regularly with the president on Air Force One and, along with other senior aides, accompanied him to Ohio for the presidential debate on Tuesday and to Minnesota for a campaign event on Wednesday.

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said he has tested negative for the virus.

In consequence, The White House has dropped a Florida campaign trip from Trump's schedule on Friday. He had been due to hold a campaign event at Sanford airport in Florida on Friday evening but his new schedule just lists a midday phone call on "Covid-19 support to vulnerable seniors."

Trump will, however, continue to perform his duties as the president of America.

Trump's physician Dr Sean Conley said in a statement, "They are both well at this time and they plan to remain home at the White House during their convalesence. I expect the president to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering."

The president, who is tested regularly for COVID-19, has kept up a rigorous travel schedule across the country in recent weeks, holding rallies with thousands of people in the run-up to the November 3 election, despite warnings from public health professionals against having events with large crowds.

Trump has come under sharp criticism for his response to the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 people in the United States alone. The president has, however, touted his management of the crisis as one of the best in the world.

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.

The development alters the presidential race dramatically.

BEST WISHES POUR IN

Apart from China, all world leaders wished Trump a rapid recovery.

India's prime minister Narendra Modi, to this end, took to Twitter to wish Trump good health.

He tweeted, "Wishing my friend @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS a quick recovery and good health."

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India's president Ram Nath Kovid also extended his best wishes.

"I wish President Donald Trump @POTUS @realDonaldTrump and First Lady Melania Trump @FLOTUS a speedy recovery. Our prayers and best wishes are with you during this time," he tweeted.

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The British government also wished Trump a speedy recovery.

"All of us want to send our best wishes to President Trump, the first lady and the Trump family and wish them a speedy recovery," Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky.

Russia also wished US President Donald Trump a "speedy recovery". "Of course we wish President Trump a speedy and easy recovery," President Vladimir Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov told journalists.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Friday sent his US counterpart a telegram to wish him a swift recovery, news agencies reported, citing the Kremlin.

"I am certain that your inherent vitality, good spirits and optimism will help you cope with this dangerous virus," Putin's telegram said, according to the Interfax news agency.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who had his own brush with death from Covid-19 this year, on Friday also wished him and First Lady Melania Trump.

"My best wishes to President Trump and the First Lady. Hope they both have a speedy recovery from coronavirus," Johnson tweeted.

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Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, the head of the World Health Organisation, in a tweet, wished the couple "a full and speedy recovery". Trump is pulling the United States out of the WHO, accusing it of mishandling the coronavirus pandemic and being too close to China.

EU chief Charles Michel tweeted, "Wishing @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS a speedy recovery. Covid-19 is a battle we all continue to fight. Everyday. No matter where we live."

German Chancellor Angela Merkel also wished Trump. "I send Donald and Melania Trump all my good wishes," her spokesman Steffen Seibert tweeted on her behalf.

"I hope that they recover well from their corona infection and will be quite healthy again soon."

"Our good wishes for speedy recovery to our Friends @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS. #Poland and #USA will get through the hardships and succeed in fighting #COVID19," Polish President Andrzej Duda tweeted.

Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan also tweeted.

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(with inputs)