Friday April 19, 2024

Ohio governor tests positive for coronavirus ahead of Trump's visit

Published : 07 Aug 2020, 00:55

  DF News Desk
Ohio Governor Mike DeWine speaks at a ceremony held at Fuyao Dayton plant in Dayton, Ohio, the United States, Jan. 6, 2020. File Photo Xinhua.

Governor Mike DeWine of U.S. midwestern state of Ohio, a key swing state in the 2020 U.S. elections, announced on Thursday that he has tested positive for coronavirus, just ahead of President Donald Trump's planned visit, reported Xinhua.

"As part of the standard protocol to greet President Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland, I took a COVID test. I tested positive," DeWine tweeted.

"I have no symptoms at this time. I'm following protocol and will quarantine at home for the next 14 days," the 73-year-old Republican said. Local media said he was returning to Columbus, the state's capital city.

"The President wishes Governor DeWine a speedy and full recovery and commends the job he's doing for the great state of Ohio," White House spokesman Judd Deere said in a statement.

Latest data from the Ohio Department of Health showed there were 96,305 coronavirus cases in the state.