SAO PAULO: A Brazilian government official who attended an official meeting at Donald Trump's resort in Florida on Saturday and posted a photo of himself standing next to the US president has tested positive for coronavirus, the Estado de S Paulo newspaper said on Thursday (Mar 12).

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro's communications secretary, Fabio Wajngarten, is awaiting the results of a second confirmation test, according to the report.



Brazil's presidency did not respond to a request for comment.

Asked by Reuters before Estado reported the positive test, Brazil's Health minister, Luiz Henrique Mandetta, said Bolsonaro would be monitored if Wajngarten tested positively.

In the photo posted on his Instagram account, Wajngarten is standing next to Trump wearing a Make Brazil great again cap.

Vice President Mike Pence was next to Trump.







Trump later said he was not concerned about being exposed to the coronavirus.

"Let's put it this way: I'm not concerned," Trump told reporters while meeting with Irish Prime Minister Leo Varadkar in the Oval Office.

He said he had heard about the aide's exposure but that "we did nothing very unusual".

Trump also said he and Varadkar opted not to shake hands when the Irish leader arrived at the White House for the traditional St Patrick's Day meeting.

"It's a very strange feeling," Trump said of not shaking hands.

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