President Donald Trump announced Monday that first lady Melania Trump was tested for the Chinese coronavirus and her result was negative.
“She’s fine…Negative, yes,” the president replied when asked by reporters in the White House briefing room whether the first lady had been tested.
Melania Trump joins members of her family, including President Trump in testing negative for the illness. On Friday, White House senior adviser Ivanka Trump returned to work after testing negative as well.
Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence tested negative on Saturday.
Sen. Rand Paul (R-KY) became the first U.S. senator over the weekend to confirm he had contracted the coronavirus. In a statement Monday, Paul explained he swiftly obtained a virus test due to previously having a portion of his lung removed because of damage he sustained during his 2017 assault by a neighbor.
“I believe we need more testing immediately, even among those without symptoms. The nature of COVID-19 put me – and us all – in a Catch-22 situation. I didn’t fit the criteria for testing or quarantine. I had no symptoms and no specific encounter with a COVID-19 positive person,” Paul said in a statement. “I had, however, traveled extensively in the U.S. and was required to continue doing so to vote in the Senate. That, together with the fact that I have a compromised lung, led me to seek testing.”