15 Oct 2020

Donald Trump's son tests positive for Covid-19

10:31 am on 15 October 2020

US first lady Melania Trump says her 14-year-old son Barron tested positive for coronavirus but has since returned a negative result.

Barron Trump, left, with US President Donald Trump and Melania Trump pictured in August.

Photo: AFP

Melania Trump says she also has now tested negative for Covid-19.

The White House initially said Barron Trump had tested negative after both his parents tested positive earlier this month.

However Melania Trump said on Wednesday subsequent test results showed Barron had also come down with Covid-19 but showed no symptoms.

"Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms," Melania Trump said in a statement.

Melania Trump said her symptoms were "minimal" and that she hoped to resume her duties as first lady "as soon as I can".

"I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time," she said.

"I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food," Melania Trump said.

Donald Trump spent three nights in a military hospital after announcing on 2 October that he and Melania had tested positive.

To treat the virus, he received an experimental dual antibody therapy developed by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc and Gilead Sciences Inc's antiviral remdesivir, as well as the steroid dexamethasone.

"In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together," Melania Trump said.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump is no longer capable of actively spreading Covid-19 and has been given the all clear to attend an upcoming town hall interview with NBC News without putting others at risk.

Top American public health official Anthony Fauci says he and a colleague at the National Institute of Health have reviewed the Covid tests taken by the president to reach the conclusion that the president is not contagious.

- Reuters

Get the RNZ app

for ad-free news and current affairs