US President Donald Trump said on Friday night that he will “most likely” be tested for the novel coronavirus.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was reported by Jornal O Dia as having tested positive for the virus, but later took to social media to flatly deny any such reports, calling them fake news. Bolsonaro's press secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, had been found positive, and had also met with Trump last Saturday at Trump's Mar-A-Lago golf resort.
Since Bolsonaro and Trump met in Florida recently, the possibility that he, or any other world leader, might test positive for the COVID-19 virus has risen alarmingly. Trump, who is currently 73-years-old, shook hands with the businessmen gathered in the White House Rose Garden.
"We had a great meeting with the president of Brazil, Bolsonaro – great guy,” said Trump.
“ He's doing a fantastic job for Brazil," he said according to Politico.
"And, as you know, he tested negative,” he added.
Trump said Walmart Inc. Chief Executive Doug McMillon had agreed to set up drive-thru testing at store parking lots across the US and that Google, owned by Alphabet Inc., will create a website to help determine whether individuals need a coronavirus test.
The US president shrugged off a question about whether he was responsible for what many experts have said was slow progress toward expansion of tests to track the virus.
"I don't take responsibility at all," he said, blaming rules and regulations he inherited for the inability to mass produce the testing kits.