Ottawa Citizen

Barron also tested positive: Melania

Teen `fine' after showing no virus symptoms

- ALEX WAYNE

WASHINGTON• President Donald Trump's youngest son, Barron, tested positive for coronaviru­s while his parents recovered from COVID-19, but never showed symptoms of the disease, his mother said.

First Lady Melania Trump said in a post on the White House website Wednesday that Barron, 14, initially tested negative after his parents both contracted the virus.

“I couldn't help but think `what about tomorrow or the next day?” she wrote. “My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms.”

She added: “He has since tested negative.” She didn't say precisely when Barron was tested.

Speaking to reporters as he left the White House on Wednesday, the president said: “Barron's fine.”

The president announced that he and his wife had contracted COVID-19 on Oct. 2, and he was hospitaliz­ed later that day. Melania Trump never required hospital care.

The White House physician, Sean Conley, cleared the president to resume his normal activities on Saturday and he returned to the campaign trail on Monday with a rally in Florida. He rallied Tuesday in Pennsylvan­ia and Iowa on Wednesday.

He is no longer capable of actively spreading COVID-19 and can attend an upcoming town hall with NBC News on Thursday without putting others at risk, top U.S. public health official Anthony Fauci said in an interview with CBS Evening News.

Trump and Democrat Joe Biden, who had been due to hold a second presidenti­al debate Thursday, will instead take part in duelling televised town halls. NBC News said Trump's event in Miami would take place outdoors to prevent the spread of the virus. Biden's ABC News event will take place in Philadelph­ia.

Trump looks to be spending much of the week aiming to galvanize his white, conservati­ve base rather than seeking to appeal directly to undecided voters.

On Thursday, he heads to Greenville, North Carolina, a closely fought state where early voting will begin that day, then on to Georgia and Florida the next day.

More than 13 million Americans have already cast ballots, setting a record early pace, according to the U.S. Elections Project at the University of Florida.

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