Donald Trump and first lady Melania have tested positive for coronavirus and will go into quarantine, the US president tweeted on Thursday evening hours after one of his most senior advisers, Hope Hicks, was reported to have contracted the infection. Hicks had travelled with the president on multiple trips this week including abroad Marine One, the presidential helicopter, and Air Force One. It isn’t immediately clear how Trump contracted the virus that has infected over 7 million Americans and killed more than 200,000.
Trump announced about his health status on Twitter, saying they will “begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!,” he said.
Within minutes of Trump’s announcement, Bloomberg reported U.S. stock futures fell more than 1 per cent and 0il prices extended losses to drop around 2 per cent early Friday.
Trump had a tight schedule for Friday too including a private fund-raiser at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, a campaign rally in Florida and a call with “vulnerable seniors” about the disease, the New York Times reported.
The infection would have impact Trump’s ability to campaign in person for the presidential elections. There is no clarity from his office if he will continue to address events over video but his new schedule just lists a midday phone call on “Covid-19 support to vulnerable seniors.”
