BREAKING | Donald Trump, Wife Melania Test Positive For Coronavirus; Will US Prez Wear A Face Mask Henceforth?

The US President took to microblogging site Twitter to share the news about starting their quarantine process after his closest aides Hope Hicks had tested positive for the virus.

US President Donald Trump wears a mask as he tours a lab where they are making components for a potential vaccine at the Bioprocess Innovation Center at Fujifilm Diosynth Biotechnologies in Morrisville, North Carolina on July 27, 2020. (Photo by JIM WATSON / AFP)

A month before the much awaited national elections, US President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump who had undergone a Covid-19 test after a top aide was tested positive for the disease, were tested positive for the novel disease. As per the Reuters report both have been tested positive on Friday. The US President took to microblogging site Twitter to share the news about starting their quarantine process. The tweet confirmed that one his closest aides Hope Hicks had tested positive for the virus and also went on to praise his efforts. Their samples were taken for the Covid-19 tests as results were awaited.

Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020

"Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!" Hicks, serves as counselor to Trump and remained a constant companion of the President, at the time of the first presidential debate in Cleveland on Tuesday. She is the closest White House official to Trump to test positive for the virus so far. White House spokesman Judd Deere also issued a statement, stating that the “President takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously." In earlier occasions, The US President stirred reactions from all quarters over his callous approach in dealing with the new disease and seen without the mask in public events. "White House Operations collaborates with the Physician to the President and the White House Military Office to ensure all plans and procedures incorporate current CDC guidance and best practices for limiting Covid-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible both on complex and when the President is traveling," Deere said. Hicks has accompanied the president multiple times this week, including aboard Marine One, the presidential helicopter, and on Air Force One to a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday, and aboard Air Force One to Tuesday night's first presidential debate in Cleveland. PM Narendra Modi wished Trump and Melania a speedy recovery on Twitter.

Will Trump now sport a face mask? With Trump now being infected with the novel virus draws into the question that whether the US President will sport a face mask during his public appearances and while stepping out of his residence. In the past, Trump has refused to wear a mask in public or urged Americans to wear one, stating that it was a “personal choice". Except for a coupel of times, Trump’s outright refusal to advocate masks in the past has contradicted top health officials in the country who have strongly recommend the use of it to prevent spread of the infection. During his re-election campaign, Trump’s critics have also alleged that he has politicised the use of masks even as the country faces the worst health crisis. Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has said Trump was the worst leader to lead America through this crisis. Cleveland : From l-r, first lady Melania Trump, President Donald Trump, Democratic presidential candidate former Vice President Joe Biden and Jill Biden, walk off stage at the conclusion of the first presidential debate Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2020, at Case Western University and Cleveland Clinic, in Cleveland, Ohio. AP/PTI(AP30-09-2020_000007B) Despite such goof ups and series of tiff, the family members of Donald Trump's also did not wear masks during his debate on Tuesday with the Democratic nominee, Joe Biden, breaching the protocols of the event.

The US is the worst-hit country with the world's highest number of cases and deaths at 7,277,352 and 207,791, respectively, according to the CSSE. The global coronavirus tally has reached the 34.2 million mark, while the deaths have increased to more than 1,021,700, according to the Johns Hopkins University.