Brazilian official who recently met Trump tests positive for virus
President Donald Trump speaks before he presents the Medal of Freedom to former Vice Chief of Staff of the Army Gen. Jack Keane in the East Room of the White House in Washington, Tuesday, March 10, 2020.[AP Photo/Patrick Semansky]
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's communications director tested positive for the new coronavirus, just days after traveling with Bolsonaro to a meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida.
A statement from the president's communications office on Thursday said director Fábio Wajngarten's test results have come back positive, and that the presidency is adopting preventive measures to ensure Bolsonaro's health.
Wajngarten joined Bolsonaro on a three-day trip to the U.S. and on Saturday was at the Mar-a-Lago resort, where he posted a photo of himself posing beside Trump. A video from the event also showed him standing directly behind both presidents as they addressed a crowd.
Wajngarten initially denied a report on Wednesday that he had been tested for the virus, saying on his social media account that his health was fine. He is now in self-quarantine at home, according to the statement.
The government also communicated with U.S. authorities so that they can take cautionary measures, the Brazilian statement said.