Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation's top infectious expert, told CNN he thinks the nation could start getting back to relative normality by April or July of 2021 saying he thought that would be possible to achieve by the second or third quarter next year.

When Americans can gather again depends on a number of factors, Fauci told CNN giving the example of vaccines.

Fauci pointed to the manufacturer Pfizer's announcement that its early data shows its vaccine is more than 90 percent effective and a second company is expected to soon unveil its early results. 

"That's great, but we have to get people to take the vaccine," he said. "So, if we get the overwhelming majority of people taking the vaccine, and you have on the one hand an effective vaccine, on the other hand, a high degree of uptake of the vaccine, we could start getting things back to relative normal as we get into the second and third quarter of the year, where people can start thinking about doing things that were too dangerous just months ago."

But all things have to be put together, he said, America "can't just wish it happening."

Vaccines have to come, they have to be deployed and fundamental public health measures can't be abandoned, Fauci said.

(With input from agencies)

New York City schools will remain open Monday, as the city's seven-day test positivity rate continues to remain under 3 percent. The 7-day average test positivity rate is 2.57 percent Bill Neidhardt, a spokesperson for New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, said in a statement Sunday morning.

If the test positivity rate reached or exceeded 3 percent, city schools could be closed and students would move to all -remote learning, the mayor has previously said.

"Today, schools currently remain open, based on today's 7-day test positivity rate. Again, we expect the daily test positivity to backfill and increase as more tests results are entered into the system, but do not expect that increase to push today's 7-day average to percent," Neidhardt said in an email. 

The mayor shared his gratitude on Twitter, saying in part, "Thankfully, schools will remain open on Monday, but we have to keep fighting back with everything we've got."

In addition to the test positivity rate, at least 937 positive cases of COVID-19 have been reported Sunday and 117 people have been admitted to hospitals across the city, the email said.

(With input from agencies)

U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the campaign trail on Monday for the first time since he announced his COVID-19 diagnosis, touting his management of the pandemic as opinion polls showed him losing more ground to Democratic rival Joe Biden.

Trump arrived at the outdoor rally in Sanford, Florida, the first of six planned for this week, without a face mask.

He tossed out masks to thousands of supporters standing shoulder to shoulder, most without face coverings, and repeatedly talked about his recovery from the coronavirus.

"I went through it now. They say I'm immune. I feel so powerful," Trump told the crowd during his hour-long remarks. "I will kiss everyone in that audience, I will kiss the guys and the beautiful women, I will give you a big fat kiss."

He told supporters that coronavirus safety lockdowns had done great damage to the economy and were too drastic. "It's risky, but you gotta get out," he told supporters, who chanted: "We love you."

Graphics: Biden extends lead in fallout from Trump's tough week

Critics have faulted Trump for failing to encourage supporters at campaign events, and White House staff, to wear protective masks and abide by social-distancing guidelines.

At least 11 close Trump aides have tested positive for the virus.

As Trump was holding his rally, top U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci told CNBC the United States faced a "whole lot of trouble" if it did not encourage universal wearing of face masks and avoid mass gatherings. 

The rally came hours after the White House physician Sean Conley said Trump had tested negative for COVID-19 on consecutive days and was not infectious to others. The president tested negative "on consecutive days" and is "not infectious to others," according to a memo from Conley. 

On Sunday, Trump's assertion that he was now immune to the virus, made without evidence, drew a flag from Twitter for violating the social media platform's rules about misleading information related to COVID-19. Scientific research has been inconclusive on how long people who have recovered from COVID-19 have antibodies and are protected from a second infection.

Trump's evening rally at an airport in Sanford, Florida, will begin a three-week sprint to Election Day as new polls show him losing more ground to Democratic rival Joe Biden in two battleground states that could decide the November 3 contest.  

For months, Trump had worked furiously to shift public attention away from the virus and his handling of the pandemic, which has infected more than 7.8 million people in the United States, killed more than 214,000 and put millions out of work.

His own illness has put the spotlight squarely on his coronavirus response during the closing stretch of the race, with the Biden campaign scaling up its attacks and stretching its campaign into states that normally lean Republican.

Trump is seeking to change the dynamics of a race that national opinion polls and some state polls show he is losing to Biden.

Biden tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, his campaign team said in a statement. The former vice president has tested negative a number of times since Trump announced his positive test.

Biden has pulled further ahead in Wisconsin and Pennsylvania, building momentum in two states that Trump carried in the 2016 presidential election, Reuters/Ipsos opinion polls showed on Monday.

The polls, conducted Tuesday through Sunday, showed Biden now leading Trump by 7 percentage points in both states.

Taking advantage of his momentum and growing advantage in the polls, Biden on Monday campaigned in Ohio, where he was once considered a long shot, as he tries to expand his reach into Republican-leaning states. 

Speaking to unionized auto workers in Toledo, Biden said he and former President Barack Obama played a key role in keeping the U.S. auto industry afloat during the financial crisis and recession more than a decade ago. 

"Barack and I bet on you and the American worker and it paid off," said Biden, who is hoping to undermine what polls show is Trump's greatest strength, the view among some voters that the former real estate entrepreneur is better at handling the economy.

Biden also appeared at a get-out-the-vote event in Cincinnati in what was his second campaign trip in as many weeks to Ohio, where polls now show a competitive race.

Trump won the state by 8 percentage points four years ago and almost certainly must carry it again to win re-election. No Republican has won the White House without carrying Ohio.

Trump's rally in Florida, and planned rallies in Pennsylvania on Tuesday, Iowa on Wednesday and North Carolina on Thursday, will be watched closely to see whether the president has reshaped his campaign approach since contracting the virus.

(With input from Reuters, Xinhua) 

Twitter flags Trump's tweet claiming he's 'immune' as 'misleading'

Twitter has flagged a tweet from U.S. President Donald Trump claiming that he's immune to the novel coronavirus as "misleading" and containing "potentially harmful information related to COVID-19."

However, the social media platform did not remove the tweet as it determined "it may be in the public's interest for the tweet to remain accessible."

Trump's tweet on Sunday that triggered Twitter's warning read: "A total and complete sign off from White House Doctors yesterday. That means I can't get it (immune), and can't give it. Very nice to know!!!"

Twitter said that the president's post "violated the Twitter Rules about spreading misleading and potentially harmful information related to COVID-19."

U.S. President Donald Trump said he no longer has COVID19 and is not a transmission risk anymore during a Fox News interview on Sunday. 

"It looks like I'm immune for, I don't know, maybe a long time and maybe a short time, it could be a lifetime, nobody really knows, but I'm immune," Trump said.

His doctor announced Saturday that Trump was not a transmission risk but did not disclose whether he tested negative for the coronavirus.

Trump 'no longer considered a transmission risk' for COVID-19: doctor

U.S. President Donald Trump is "no longer considered a transmission risk to others," Sean Conley, the physician to the president said in a statement on Saturday.

Conley said tests show there is no longer evidence "of actively replicating virus."

"Now at day 10 from symptom onset, fever-free for well over 24 hours and all symptoms improved, the assortment of advanced diagnostic test obtained reveal there is no longer evidence of actively replicating virus."

The White House had no immediate comment on whether Conley's statement indicated that the president had tested negative for the virus.

(With input from Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump rallied hundreds of cheering supporters for a campaign-style comeback event at the White House Saturday, jumping back into the race nine days after being stopped in his tracks by COVID-19.

"I am feeling great!" Trump declared as he stepped out to a White House balcony – tugging off his mask to address the crowd below. 

"Get out and vote – and I love you," Trump told the gathering, who chanted back "USA" and "Four more years" throughout the address lasting just under 20 minutes. 

His appearance – amid continued questions over whether he is still contagious – is seen as a first step toward resuming full campaigning next week. He is due to go to Florida, Pennsylvania and Iowa, on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, respectively.

Some of those gathered were wearing masks under their red "MAGA" hats, but most failed to observe social distancing guidelines.

It was the first time Trump had appeared in public since he was released from a three-night stay in hospital on Monday, when some observers watching his return to the White House said he appeared at times to be short of breath.

White House physician Sean Conley said the president took a COVID-19 test on Saturday which showed that he is no longer a "transmission risk to others."

Conley said in a statement that tests show there is no longer evidence "of actively replicating virus."

The White House had no immediate comment on whether Conley's statement indicated that the president had tested negative for the virus.

Criticism of Trump's handling of COVID-19

Trump delivered a wide-ranging speech that touched on scrapping former President Barack Obama's "Obamacare" healthcare reform law, criminal justice reform, and the state of the economy.

But opinion polls increasingly show that as Election Day approaches, voters see November 3 as a chance to cast a vote on Trump's handling of the coronavirus pandemic that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.

Graphics: Biden extends lead in fallout from Trump's tough week

The Trump administration has faced widespread criticism for its handling of the pandemic, as well as for a lax approach to mask-wearing and social distancing in the White House and – in recent days – confusing messages about how ill the president has been.

Democrats and some commentators criticized Saturday's White House event for potentially exposing a new batch of supporters to the virus and for using a federal building as an election prop.

Asked about it in New Castle, Delaware, Biden said he hoped that Trump and his supporters were taking precautions. "They should be socially distant and wearing masks," he said. "It's the only responsible thing to do."

(With input from Reuters) 

Trump says he stopped taking COVID-19 medication

U.S. President Donald Trump said in an interview on Fox News on Friday night that he stopped taking medication to combat coronavirus eight hours ago.

"Right now, I'm medication free. I'm not taking any medications as of, you know, probably eight hours ago," Trump said in the interview.

Trump, eager to get back on the election campaign trail after being sidelined by a COVID-19 infection, will begin by giving remarks to supporters outdoors at the White House on Saturday and then hold a rally in Florida two days later.

(With input from Reuters)

Anthony Fauci, a top U.S. expert on infectious disease, on Friday identified a White House ceremony unveiling President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee, as "a super-spreader event" for COVID-19.

"I think the data speaks for themselves," Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, told CBS News Radio in an interview. "We had a super-spreader event in the White House and it was in a situation where people were crowded together and were not wearing masks."

The White House held a Rose Garden gathering on September 26, where Trump announced to nominate conservative appellate judge Amy Coney Barrett to replace the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, a liberal icon. More than 100 attendees sat close to each other at the event while only a small number of them wore masks.

Trump tested positive for COVID-19 on October 1 and was later admitted to hospital before returning to the White House to continue to receive treatment.

In addition to the president, a growing list of individuals who also attended the White House ceremony, including First Lady Melania Trump, Senators Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, have reported a positive test result.

Barrett reportedly contracted the virus earlier this year and has since recovered.

The Washington, D.C. health department, as well as jurisdictions in neighboring states of Maryland and Virginia, is calling on people who have worked at the White House in the past two weeks or attended the Barrett event to get tested and contact their local health department for guidance about whether they need to quarantine.

"Given our preliminary understanding that there has been limited contact tracing performed to date, there may be other staff and residents at risk for exposure to COVID positive individuals," the health agencies said in a letter released on Thursday.

Trump has completed the therapy for COVID-19 infection, according to White House physician Sean Conley, who has also medically cleared the president for public events from Saturday. However, the White House has repeatedly refused to disclose when he last had a negative test result.

According to media reports, Trump is expected to hold an in-person event at the White House on Saturday. His reelection campaign announced on Friday that he will attend a rally in Sanford, Florida on October 12.

During the CBS News Radio interview, Fauci, also a member of the White House coronavirus task force, said that he's certain Trump's doctors will not allow him to leave the White House without further testing.

"I can guarantee you that they will be testing him before they let him go out," the expert said.

The October 15 presidential debate between U.S. President Donald Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will not proceed, the Commission on Presidential Debates (CPD) said in a statement on Friday, adding that both campaigns had announced "alternate plans for that date."

"It is now apparent there will be no debate on October 15, and the CPD will turn its attention to preparations for the final presidential debate scheduled for October 22," the commission said in an emailed statement.

"Both candidates have agreed to participate in the October 22 debate," said the statement, assuring the final debate, expected to be held at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, will be in accordance with "all required testing, masking, social distancing and other protocols."

The commission had announced Thursday it was converting the October 15 town hall debate to a virtual affair out of an abundance of caution because Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus.

But the U.S. president, who has been eager to return to the campaign trail and hold live events, refused to participate in the virtual format and sought unsuccessfully to return it to an in-person debate.

Biden had said earlier this week he would not debate Trump in person if he still had the virus, and his campaign called Trump's refusal to adapt to a virtual format "shameful."

"It's shameful that Donald Trump ducked the only debate in which the voters get to ask the questions – but it's no surprise," Biden spokesman Andrew Bates said, Trump "doesn't have the guts to answer for his record to voters at the same time as vice president Biden."

(With input from AFP)

Graphics: Biden extends lead in fallout from Trump's tough week

The race for the White House has been dominated over the past seven days by the fallout from the bombshell news that President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19, while Democratic challenger Joe Biden hit the campaign trail in Florida and the vice-presidential candidates debated in Utah.

CGTN's interactive page offers in-depth analysis of the 2020 election, with exclusive data covering national and state-by-state polling, online sentiment and fundraising. Each week we crunch the numbers in search of the trends that matter in the battle for the presidency.

Election day in the United States is a little over three weeks away and more than 6.8 million Americans have already voted. Has the trajectory of campaign changed over the last week?

Click here for more.

Trump's campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement on October 8 that they have agreed on moving the second debate back by a week so it can be in person. The Commission on Presidential Debates announced earlier that the second debate would be held virtually on October 15. Trump, however, said during an interview minutes after the announcement that he wouldn't participate if the debate wasn't in person.

U.S. President Trump says might hold rally in Florida on Saturday

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Thursday he was doing "really good" following his coronavirus diagnosis a week ago and that he might try to do a rally on Saturday night, probably in Florida, after his physician said it was safe for him to return to public engagements then.

In an interview with Fox News, Trump also said he will likely take a COVID-19 test on Friday. Trump was hospitalized on October 2 after he announced he had contracted the coronavirus. He returned to the White House on October 5.

(With input from Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump said he hopes to resume campaigning Saturday after receiving a green light from his doctor, even as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi prepares to unveil plans to probe the president's capacity to govern after contracting COVID-19. 

Trump said in a Fox News interview late Thursday that he wants to hold a campaign rally as early as Saturday. "I think I'm going to try doing a rally on Saturday night if we have enough time to put it together," he said during an interview with Sean Hannity, adding that it would be "probably in Florida." 

Trump said that he might hold another rally the following day in Pennsylvania. 

Trump's physician Dr. Sean Conley said on Thursday that the president has completed his course of therapy for the coronavirus, and has remained stable since returning to the White House, and he could return to public engagements on Saturday.

Conley said in a memo released by the White House that Saturday will be 10 days since the president's diagnosis and Trump had responded "extremely well" to treatment.

Trump was hospitalised last Friday after he announced he had contracted the coronavirus. He returned to the White House on Monday.

"Since returning home, his physical exam has remained stable and devoid of any indications to suggest progression of illness," Conley wrote. 

"Saturday will be day 10 since Thursday's diagnosis, and based on the trajectory of advanced diagnostics the team has been conducting, I fully anticipate the President's safe return to public engagements at that time."

Trump, confined to the White House with the illness that he has sought to play down, said earlier on Thursday he did not believe he was contagious and was feeling good enough to resume campaign rallies. Such rallies, particularly held indoors, have raised concern among public health experts about spreading the virus. 

The president's positive test sidelined him from in-person events that have been the lifeblood of his campaign. Trump pulled out of a second debate with his rival Joe Biden after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced that the October 15 event would be held in a virtual format, with the candidates in separate locations, to ensure it could go forward whether or not Trump remained virus-free.

Meanwhile, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled plans Thursday to probe Trump's capacity to govern after he contracted COVID-19. With just 26 days until the November 3 election, Washington's top Democrat took the extraordinary step of proposing a commission to probe Trump's fitness for the job -- and whether he needs removal under the Constitution's 25th Amendment. 

Trump fired back on Twitter. "Crazy Nancy is the one who should be under observation," he wrote. "They don't call her Crazy for nothing!" 

(With input from agencies)

White House COVID-19 cluster widens, 34 more infected: ABC News

"Thirty-four White House staffers and other contacts" in recent days have contracted the novel coronavirus, according to an ABC News report citing an internal government memo.

According to the report, the memo was distributed among senior leadership at FEMA, a branch of the Department of Homeland Security and the agency responsible for managing the continuing national response to the public health crisis.

White House security official is gravely ill with COVID-19: Bloomberg reporter

A top White House security official, Crede Bailey, is gravely ill with COVID-19 and has been hospitalized since September, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing four people familiar with his condition.

"The head of White House security office, Crede Bailey, is gravely ill with coronavirus and has been hospitalized since late September, I'm told. Security office handles credentialing for access to WH; works closely with Secret Service on security measures on the compound," tweeted Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs who also broke the news that Hope Hicks had tested positive for COVID-19. 

(With input from Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump was on Wednesday back at work in the Oval Office of the White House just six days after testing COVID-19 positive, despite warnings that his return could put others at risk. 

The behavior of the president, who has faced fierce criticism for his handling of the pandemic, is under scrutiny as the number of positive cases climbs among people working at the White House. 

After contradictory statements whether the president was back at work on Tuesday, a senior administration official told AFP that Trump was present Wednesday with an "extremely limited" number of staff in his office. 

Trump, who was hospitalized Friday with the virus that has killed over 210,000 in the U.S., arrived by an outside door to avoid passing through the crowded corridors of his residence, the official said. 

"Was just briefed on Hurricane Delta," the president tweeted, eager to project his return as a personal triumph over the disease as he trails badly in polls against Democratic challenger Joe Biden. Trump's illness, like his dismissive stance on the virus, has fueled multiple controversies, including his made-for-television exit from the hospital on Monday. 

Just after stepping off a helicopter at the White House, he climbed the stairs of his residence and pulled off his face mask, a tool against the virus that he has frequently downplayed. 

"Don't let (COVID-19) dominate you. Don't be afraid of it," he urged Americans in his homecoming speech, despite the U.S. having the largest total number of coronavirus infections and deaths in the world. 

White House physician Sean Conley said on Wednesday that the president's "physical exam and vital signs, including oxygen saturation and respiratory rate, all remain stable and in normal range." 

"He's now been fever-free for more than 4 days, symptom-free for over 24 hours, and has not needed nor received any supplemental oxygen since initial hospitalization," Conley disclosed, adding that Trump's lab results from Monday "demonstrated detectable levels" of COVID-19 antibodies. 

In a video recorded from the White House and posted on Twitter in the evening, Trump touted the therapeutic and medical treatment that he has been receiving and called his infection of the virus "a blessing in disguise."

Responding to the remarks, 2020 Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden told reporters in Wilmington, Delaware that he hopes Trump stays healthy but the former U.S. vice president again criticized his Republican opponent's attitude towards the disease. 

"I think it's a tragedy the president deals with COVID like it is something not to be worried about when already 210,000 people have died," Biden added. 

(with input from agencies)

Top U.S. infectious diseases expert Dr. Anthony Fauci, whose advocacy of public health guidelines to fight the coronavirus has conflicted with President Donald Trump's downplaying of the pandemic, said on Tuesday the recent rash of infections at the White House could have been prevented.

Several close aides to Trump and senior Republican politicians have tested positive for the coronavirus since the Republican president announced on Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had contracted the virus.

"Take a look at what happened this week at the White House," Fauci said in an interview with American University's Kennedy Political Union, when asked what advice he had about how people could discuss preventive actions with relatives who believed the pandemic was a hoax.

"That is a reality, right there. And every day that goes by more people are popping up that are infected. It's not a hoax. It's an unfortunate situation when you see something like that because that could have been prevented," Fauci said.

He also told attendees of a virtual event that between 300,000 and 400,000 could die from coronavirus in the country.

Fauci has been a long-time advocate of wearing face masks to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Trump returned to the White House on Monday from a military hospital where he spent three nights being treated for COVID-19, telling Americans "to get out there" and not let their lives be dominated by the virus. 

He left hospital wearing a mask, but removed it to pose for pictures on the White House balcony and did not put it back on when he entered the building. 

The president, who is trailing his Democratic rival Joe Biden ahead of the November 3 election, has pushed for quicker reopening of the economy and schools and accused Democrats of preventing that for political purposes. 

Trump rarely wears a mask in public, and there is often little social distancing at his campaign rallies and White House events.

Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, has ascribed a surge in coronavirus infection in part to the country's failure to shut down completely.

The U.S. has registered over 210,000 deaths and more than 7.5 million cases – both the highest in the world, according to the latest tally from Johns Hopkins University. 

White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, a top speechwriter for Trump and an influential adviser on Trump's hardline immigration policy, on Tuesday became the latest COVID case reported among Trump associates.

Others announcing they had tested positive in recent days include close Trump adviser Hope Hicks, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany, Trump's campaign manager Bill Stepien, and Republican Senators Mike Lee, Thom Tillis and Ron Johnson.

(Cover image via Reuters)

U.S. President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has asked his administration's negotiators to withdraw from COVID-19 relief talks with Democrats until after the presidential election in November.

"I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business," Trump tweeted Tuesday.

U.S. stocks closed more than one percent down on Tuesday. Stocks were higher before the remarks, but reversed course after Trump made the comments on Twitter.

However, there was hope for some form of help for struggling Americans when he tweeted he would immediately sign a Congressional bill guaranteeing a second round of $1,200 handouts and $135 billion for small businesses -- which were already included in the negotiations.

He also urged lawmakers to approve $25 billion to support the floundering aviation industry.

"So there is still some stimulus perhaps coming before the election," Ben Emons, at Medley Global Advisors, said. "That is removing the angst from the Trump tweet earlier that no further negotiations about the stimulus package would take place."

The S&P 500 fell to a session low shortly after the tweet, taking the index down more than two percent from its session high. Airline shares also tumbled, with United Airlines ending down 3.6 percent on the day, and the Cboe Volatility index climbed to a session high. 

Democrat presidential candidate Joe Biden on Tuesday accused his rival Trump of having "turned his back" on Americans after the president abruptly halted the COVID-19 relief plan negotiations.

"He turned his back on every single worker whose job hasn't come back yet.... He turned his back on families struggling to pay rent, put food on their table, and take care of their kids," Biden said in a statement after Trump froze talks with Democrats, accusing them of negotiating in bad faith.

"Much of the rally we've seen in the last week in particular was based on hopes for an additional stimulus package," said Robert Phipps, director at Per Stirling Capital Management in Austin, Texas. "There's now a whole lot less reason to put money to work before the election." 

Cases of the virus are still on the rise across much of the country, and hopes that a stimulus deal was still possible had helped stocks to recoup recent losses sparked by the news that Trump had contracted COVID-19. 

The Dow Jones Industrial Average fell 375.88 points, or 1.34 percent, to 27,772.76, the S&P 500 lost 47.66 points, or 1.40 percent, to 3,360.97 and the Nasdaq Composite dropped 177.88 points, or 1.57 percent, to 11,154.60. 

"Clearly the markets were pricing in some possibility of stimulus," said Chris Zaccarelli, chief investment officer at Independent Advisor Alliance in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

But, he said, it was probably unlikely lawmakers would have reached a compromise with their current proposals. 

Earlier in the session, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell warned that the U.S. economic recovery remained far from complete. 

Powell said the domestic rebound could still slip into a downward spiral if the coronavirus is not effectively controlled and growth sustained. 

Consumer discretionary shares were among the biggest weights on the S&P 500, with the sector falling 2.1 percent on the day, but most of the major sectors were down at least one percent. 

Declining issues outnumbered advancing ones on the NYSE by a 1.54-to-1 ratio; on Nasdaq, a 1.37-to-1 ratio favored decliners. 

The S&P 500 posted 31 new 52-week highs and no new lows; the Nasdaq Composite recorded 114 new highs and 17 new lows. 

Volume on U.S. exchanges was 10.55 billion shares, compared with the 9.79 billion average for the full session over the last 20 trading days before the election.

(With input from agencies)

Top White House aide Stephen Miller tests positive for COVID-19

White House adviser Stephen Miller, a top aide to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for COVID-19.

"Over the last five days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday," he said in a statement, adding he is in quarantine.

He is the latest White House official who caught the virus. At least 13 other members of Trump's circle have tested positive for the virus. 

Read more: COVID-19: Outbreak at the White House; Who's tested positive?

Miller's wife, Katie Miller, is Vice President Mike Pence's communications director. She has tested positive several months ago and tested negative again on Tuesday morning.

The US President Donald Trump plans to participate in next week's debate in person, his campaign said Tuesday, despite uncertainty around how he will recover from COVID-19.

"The President intends to participate in the debate in person," the campaign's communications director, Tim Murtaugh, said in a statement to The Hill.

But it's not yet clear if the president will be healthy enough to attend the debate, or whether he would be exposing other attendees to a contagious virus that has killed roughly 210,000 people in the U.S. to date.

Trump himself signaled earlier in the day that he would take part in the debate, though he did not specify whether he might do so virtually.

"I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15th in Miami. It will be great!" Trump tweeted.

Trump first revealed that he tested positive for COVID-19 early last Friday morning, and he has had symptoms since at least then. But the White House has refused to say when Trump last tested negative or fill in the timeline around his diagnosis.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines state that adults with mild to moderate COVID-19 can be around others 10 days after symptoms first appeared so long as they have gone 24 hours without a fever and other symptoms are improving.

The debate is scheduled to take place on Oct. 15, which would be 13 days from when Trump first revealed his diagnosis.

(With input from agencies)

Fauci: Trump could have 'a reversal' in his COVID-19 disease progression

Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said on Monday that U.S. President Donald Trump is "still early enough in the disease" that there "could be a reversal."

"I'm not involved in his primary care," Fauci told CNN's Chris Cuomo Monday night. "But the issue is that he's still early enough in the disease that it's no secret that if you look at the clinical course of people sometimes, when you're five to eight days in, you can have a reversal."

Trump returned to the White House on Monday after departing from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he spent three nights being treated for coronavirus.

Read more:

Trump returns to White House after four days of COVID-19 treatment

COVID-19: Outbreak at the White House; Who's tested positive?

Since U.S. President Trump announced testing positive for COVID-19, at least 13 other members of Trump's circle have tested positive for the virus. 

Before testing positive, Trump held regular meetings and conferences at the White House and traveled between Florida, Georgia, Virginia, New Jersey, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Minnesota. 

It is believed most of the COVID-19 cases are linked to Supreme Court Justice candidate Amy Coney Barrett's nomination ceremony in the White House Rose Garden on Saturday, September 26th. 

On Monday, U.S. infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci told CNN everyone who attended the Rose Garden event should "absolutely" be contacted by contact tracers who are following the outbreak at the White House. 

The Washington Post reports, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has not been asked to mobilize a contact tracing team. 

Officials in the states Trump had recently traveled to also say they haven't received guidance from the White House and are contract tracing independently. 

Some who have interacted with Trump have tested positive negative for the virus but health officials say it can take days after exposure for someone to develop symptoms or test positive.

Vice President Mike Pence, Karen Pence, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, SCOTUS nominee Amy Coney Barrett, Democratic Presidential candidate Joe Biden, Jill Biden and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows have tested negative for the virus. 

Let's take a look at who has tested positive so far. 

Trump returns to White House from hospital and removes mask

U.S. President Donald Trump returned to the White House on Monday after four days of hospital treatment for COVID-19. 

Trump was admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday and discharged on Monday evening. He made his short helicopter ride to the White House where he continues his treatment.

He removed his mask and saluted supporters as he arrived at the White House.

Trump announced October 2 that he and his wife, Melania, had tested positive for COVID-19 via his Twitter account.

Click here for more. 

U.S. President Donald Trump's White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany on Monday announced that she had tested positive for coronavirus.

"After testing negative consistently, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning while experiencing no symptoms," McEnany said in a statement.

"No reporters, producers, or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit."

"Moreover, I definitively had no knowledge of Hope Hicks' diagnosis prior to holding a White House press briefing on Thursday," she said.

Last week, White House aide Hicks tested positive for the coronavirus prompting a quarantine for Trump and his wife Melania. Trump would subsequently announce that the couple tested positive for the virus.

McEnany said she will go into self-quarantine and continue discharging her duties remotely.

McEnany becomes the latest member of the president's inner circle to have tested positive. Others are First Lady Melania, Hicks, Trump's former counsellor Kellyanne Conway and former New Jersey governor and adviser Chris Christie.

More to follow…

(With input of agencies)

Joe Biden tests negative for COVID-19 again

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden tested negative again for COVID-19 on Sunday in a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, his campaign said, according to a press pool report.

"Vice President Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected," according to guidance given by the campaign to the pool that follows the candidate.

Biden will be tested more frequently for COVID-19 and intends to move forward with in-person campaigning, following news that President Donald Trump and some senior officials of his administration have tested positive of te virus, CNN reported.

Trump leaves hospital for short ride and waves at supporters

U.S. President Donald Trump waved at supporters from a motorcade Sunday on a short drive outside the military hospital where he was being treated for COVID-19, according to local media.

The outing came minutes after the president had announced "a surprise" for fans, adding that he had "learned a lot about COVID" by "really going to school," as he has battled the virus, he said on social media.

After the short ride outside, Trump returned to Walter Reed Medical Center, according to a statement from White House Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere.

Trump could be discharged as early as Monday as he has "continued to improve" after treatment, Brian Garibaldi, a member of Trump's medical team, briefed reporters from the hospital on Sunday.

Trump tweets 'feeling much better' and 'will be back soon'

U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday tweeted a video from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, saying he is "feeling much better" and "will be back soon." 

Trump is "doing very well" after his first night at the military medical facility r where he is being treated for the coronavirus, White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said Saturday.

"I have to be back because we still have to Make America Great Again," Trump said, adding that First Lady Melania Trump, who was not hospitalized, was doing well.

Chinese President Xi Jinping and his wife Peng Liyuan on Saturday wished U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife, First Lady Melania Trump, a speedy recovery from COVID-19. 

Trump announced on early Friday morning that he and his wife had tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after his close aid and White House counselor Hope Hicks had tested positive.

Trump, who has developed mild symptoms, is currently staying at a military hospital.

Read More: Chinese ambassador to U.S. wishes Trump and Melania 'speedy recovery'

Trump receives antiviral drug Remdesivir; campaign manager tests positive

U.S. President Donald Trump has begun Remdesivir therapy at Walter Reed hospital, the White House revealed in a statement released late Friday evening, claiming that it was recommended by his physicians.

In other details, the White House said that Trump did not require supplemental oxygen as of late Friday.

White House physician Sean Conley said earlier in the day that the president was given an experimental antibody injection developed by Regeneron. He is also taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and aspirin.

Trump's campaign manager Bill Stephen also tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

Former White House counselor tests positive for COVID-19

Former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, on Friday, said on Twitter that she tested positive for COVID-19 and begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians.

Conway has attended the ceremony where U.S. President Donald Trump nominated Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court, in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, DC, on September 26.

U.S. President Donald Trump, who is being treated for COVID-19 in a military hospital outside Washington, D.C., said in a video on Saturday that he was feeling ill when he arrived at the facility but now feels better.

Trump, looking tired and wearing a suit coat but no tie, said in a video released on his Twitter, "I'm starting to feel good." He added that "over the next period of a few days I guess that's the real test. We'll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days."

Trump was hospitalized Friday evening after experiencing a low-grade fever, chills, nasal congestion and cough, multiple sources with direct knowledge of the matter tell ABC News. 

His doctor said in an update on Saturday night that the medical team is "cautiously optimistic" on the president's health condition. "President Trump continues to do well, having made substantial progress since diagnosis," White House doctor Sean P. Conley said in a statement. "While not yet out of the woods, the team remains cautiously optimistic," the doctor added.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will depart for Japan on Sunday but will not go to Mongolia and South Korea as originally planned, the State Department said on Saturday, after Trump was diagnosed and hospitalized due to COVID-19.

Precautionary measures

Trump will stay at the military hospital for the next few days after testing positive for COVID-19, the White House said in a statement on Friday, as his administration and election campaign scrambled to adjust to an extraordinary twist in his turbulent presidency. 

"Out of an abundance of caution, and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts, the president will be working from the presidential offices at Walter Reed for the next few days," said White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, noting Trump has mild symptoms and remains in good spirits.

President Trump "appreciates the outpouring of support" for both him and the First Lady, the press secretary added.

The president was seen walking slowly from the White House to a waiting helicopter to be taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland, roughly 17 hours after he announced that he had tested positive for the coronavirus. He wore a mask and business suit, and did not speak to reporters.

"I think I'm doing very well, but we're going to make sure that things work out," Trump said in a brief video posted to Twitter.

He said on Twitter late on Friday, after being hospitalized with COVID-19, that he thought he was doing well. "Going well, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!," the president tweeted after having been moved to the military hospital for treatment.

Conley confirmed the news, saying Trump is "doing very well" and "is not requiring any supplemental oxygen."

The 74-year-old president has a mild fever though, according to a source familiar with the matter. Conley said earlier in a new memo that he is "fatigued but in good spirits" as of Friday afternoon.

Trump is considered to be at higher risk of developing severe COVID-19 because of his age and weight. He has remained in apparent good health during his time in office but is not known to exercise regularly or to follow a healthy diet.

He announced early Friday morning on his Twitter that he and his wife, Melania, had tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after confirming his close aide Hope Hicks had contracted the virus.

It was the latest setback for the Republican president, who is trailing behind Democratic rival Joe Biden in opinion polls ahead of the November 3 presidential election.

Read more:

U.S. President Trump, wife Melania test positive for COVID-19

Trump's campaign postponed or held virtually after COVID-19 test

Treatment for Trump

Conley said that the president is taking Remdesivir therapy after consultation with specialists. "He has completed his first dose and is resting comfortably," he said.

He is also taking an antibody cocktail being tested by Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc, which has reportedly improved symptoms in non-hospitalized COVID-19 patients, with no serious side effects in trials. U.S. infectious disease chief Dr. Anthony Fauci is among those saying the technique has promise. 

"As a precautionary measure he received a single eight gram dose of Regeneron's polyclonal antibody cocktail. He completed the infusion without incident," Conley wrote. 

In addition, Conley said the president is taking several other medicines, including:

* Vitamin D and mineral zinc, both of which are important to the immune system and taken by some as immune system boosters.

* Heartburn drug famotidine, often sold under the brand name Pepcid. The drug has not been proven to work against COVID-19, but researchers are studying it as a potential treatment. 

* Melatonin, often taken as a sleep aid. 

* Aspirin, which Trump previously has said he takes daily. Aspirin can help avoid heart attacks and is a fever reducer. 

The doctor added the first lady "remains well with only a mild cough and headache" and that the remainder of the first family are well and tested negative for COVID-19 on Friday.

Dr. Jonathan Grein, director of hospital epidemiology at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, said the president is likely being closely monitored, and would be given extra oxygen or fluids if needed. 

'Be patriotic'

Stocks on Wall Street closed lower as news of Trump's diagnosis added to mounting uncertainties surrounding the election.

The president's illness upended his re-election campaign with just 31 days to go until Election Day. The campaign said it would postpone rallies and other events where he was scheduled to appear, or take them online.

Biden pulled ads attacking Trump off the air, but otherwise continued his campaign after testing negative for the virus.

At a union hall in Grand Rapids, Biden said he was praying for his rival's recovery. However, he also implicitly criticized Trump, who would rarely wear a mask in public and has held huge campaign rallies with little social distancing.

"Be patriotic," Biden said. "It's not about being a tough guy. It's about doing your part."

Trump's illness also raised questions about the health of others atop the U.S. government.

Read more: Biden wishes Trump, Melania 'swift recovery' from COVID-19

Replacement in line

Vice President Mike Pence, who would take over if Trump were to fall severely ill, has tested negative, a spokesperson said. The former Indiana governor, 61, is working from his own residence several miles from the White House.

Trump did not transfer power to Pence as other presidents have sometimes done while undergoing medical treatment, according to a White House official.

Pence took over Trump's planned calls with governors and retirees' organizations. His October 7 debate with Democratic vice presidential candidate Kamala Harris will go forward as planned, organizers said. Harris has also tested negative for the virus, according to the campaign.

House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, third in line for the presidency, also had tested negative, a spokesperson said.

The Republican National Committee would chose a replacement nominee, if Trump were to become incapacitated, but it is already too late in most states to change the names on the ballot. Some 2.9 million people have already voted, according to figures compiled by University of Florida professor Michael McDonald.

The virus could also complicate Trump's push to install conservative judge Amy Coney Barrett on the Supreme Court.

At least two people who were at a White House event to announce her nomination, University of Notre Dame President John Jenkins and Republican Senator Mike Lee, said Friday they have tested positive.

Barrett herself tested positive for the virus earlier this year and has since recovered, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Trump is the latest world leader to be tested positive for the virus, which can cause a severe respiratory infection.

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson was rushed into intensive care after falling gravely ill in March. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had called the virus a "little flu" and then was also infected in July. Both men recovered.

(With input from Xinhua, Reuters)

(Cover: Marine One helicopter with U.S. President Donald Trump onboard lifts off to depart the White House and fly to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Washington, D.C., U.S., October 2, 2020. /Reuters)

The US Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has tested negative for the coronavirus, hours after President Donald Trump revealed he tested positive.

"Vice President Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected. I am reporting this out in my capacity as both Vice President Biden and Dr. Biden's primary care physician," said Dr. Kevin O' Connor.

The Biden campaign said the former vice president and his wife, Jill Biden, were both tested Friday morning out of an abundance of caution.

During the presidential debate Tuesday in Cleveland, Biden was in the same room as Trump was for nearly two hours on stage.

Neither man wore a mask on stage, nor did debate moderator Chris Wallace. But Trump and Biden's podiums were placed approximately 8 ft. apart, and they didn't get close to one another. The Centers for Disease Control's current guidance for physical distancing is 6 ft.

Planning for Biden's scheduled trip to Michigan on Friday was fluid for much of Friday morning, as campaign aides processed the news of Trump's diagnosis and determined his next steps.

Biden's running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris left Washington at midday bound for Las Vegas, where she has an event later  Friday.

Harris was tested for COVID-19 on Thursday, and she tested negative, campaign aides said.

Both Biden and Harris sent best wishes to the president and first lady on Friday.

On Friday morning, Biden campaign manager Jen O’Malley Dillon sent an email to staff assuring them that the campaign was taking every health precaution to protect Biden, Harris and their families. She also asked them not to post on social media about Trump's diagnosis without prior approval.

The email, which was obtained by NBC News, underscores the political sensitivity of the president's diagnosis in the context of the presidential race.

(With input from agencies)

President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump are in isolation with what is reported as "mild" symptoms after announcing overnight that they tested positive for COVID-19.

White House Dr. Sean Conley wrote in a memorandum: "This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain home at the White House during their convalescence."

"Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19," Trump tweeted overnight. "We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!"

Top aides observed the president not feeling his best, as he appeared exhausted and fatigued, multiple sources told ABC News, following a rally that Trump cut short on Wednesday.

Given the intensity of his rally schedule, some believed his fatigue was as a consequence of being on the road, while others began to think it could be coronavirus.

While it is not clear how  the 74-year-old Trump, contracted the virus , the news comes just four hours after it was revealed that one of his closest advisers, Hope Hicks, had also tested positive.

Hicks traveled with Trump to Ohio for the debate on Tuesday and to Minnesota for a rally on Wednesday.

(With input from agencies)

Chinese Ambassador to the United States Cui Tiankai Saturday extended his good wishes to U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife after the presidential couple tested positive for the coronavirus.

In a Twitter message, Cui wrote in both English and Chinese wishing Trump and his wife "a speedy and full recovery."

Before news of the positive tests broke, Cui on Thursday called bilateral ties with the U.S. to be brought back on the "right track" during a speech at a virtual reception and concert held to mark China's 71st National Day and the Mid-Autumn Festival.

Read more:

Cui Tiankai: China-U.S. relations must be put on the right track

He reiterated that a stable China-U.S. relationship is in the interest of both sides in another tweet late on Thursday.

Hua Chunying, spokesperson for the Chinese Foreign Ministry, had earlier wished the couple a speedy recovery.

"Saddened to learn #President and the #FirstLady of the #US tested positive. Hope they both have a speedy recovery and will be fine," Hua said on Twitter on Friday.

America's first couple tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday morning following news that Trump's close aide Hope Hicks had contracted the coronavirus. 

The U.S. president was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment late Friday and the White House doctor revealed that Trump is taking Remdesivir therapy.

The virulent virus has so far claimed more than 200,000 lives in the country and plunged the U.S. economy into a recession.

Read more:

U.S. President Trump, wife Melania test positive for COVID-19

Trump admitted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment

Latest virus test results from senior U.S. officials

A number of senior U.S. officials and people around President Donald Trump have announced their new coronavirus test results. Here's a developing list:

Ivanka Trump: daughter of the president, negative.

"Praying for the swift recovery of my father and Melania and for all those impacted by COVID-19," she tweeted Friday morning.

Jared Kushner: husband of Ivanka Trump, negative.

Barron Trump: 14 years old, son of President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, negative.

Alex Azar: U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, negative.

Earlier, U.S. VP Mike Pence and Wife, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and wife, as well as Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin were all tested negative for the virus.

However, Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, has tested positive for the virus.

How's Trump's condition now? 

In Trump's latest tweet, he didn't reveal how he's feeling or if he and the first lady are experiencing any symptoms. 

But he's reportedly experiencing "mild symptoms" of COVID-19, a White House official was quoted by the Associated Press and The New York Times (NYT) as saying. 

Two people familiar with his condition told NYT they were cold-like symptoms.

The White House is now trying to assure people of the president's condition. "The president is not incapacitated. He is actually working from the residence," a senior White House official said, according to Reuters. 

Biden wishes Trump, Melania 'swift recovery' from COVID-19

Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden on Friday wished President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania a swift recovery from COVID-19. 

"Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery," Biden said on Twitter. "We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family," he added.

Biden will receive a COVID-19 test on Friday morning, following President Donald Trump's infection, reported CNN citing a source familiar with his plans.

Earlier this week, President Trump and Biden attended the first presidential debate. Neither Biden nor Trump wore masks on stage.

Everyone attending the debate at Case Western Reserve University would undergo testing for COVID-19 and follow other health safety protocols, reported CNN citing the Commission on Presidential Debates. 

U.S. VP Pence and wife test negative for COVID-19

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and his wife have tested negative for COVID-19, according to his press secretary.

"As has been routine for months, Vice President Pence is tested for COVID-19 every day. This morning, Vice President Pence and the Second Lady tested negative for COVID-19. Vice President Pence remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery," Devin O'Malley, the vice president's spokesman, said on Twitter.

Shortly following the vice president, U.S. secretary of the Treasury Steven Mnuchin's spokesperson also confirmed Mnuchin tested negative for coronavirus Friday morning.

"As part of regular protocols, Secretary @stevenmnuchin1 has been tested daily for COVID-19. He tested negative for COVID-19 this morning and will continue to be tested daily," Treasury spokeswoman Monica Crowley said on Twitter.

Putin tells Trump his 'vitality' will help fight off virus

Russian President Vladimir Putin wished Donald Trump a speedy recovery in a telegram on Friday, saying he was sure the U.S. leader's qualities would help him fight off the coronavirus.

"I am convinced that your vitality, good spirits and optimism will help you cope with this dangerous virus," the Kremlin quoted Putin as saying in the message. 

Putin's spokesman Dmitry Peskov had earlier wished Trump "a speedy and easy recovery" on behalf of the Kremlin.

UK's Johnson wishes Trump and First Lady 'speedy recovery'

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson wished U.S. President Donald Trump and his wife Melania a speedy recovery on Friday after the couple tested positive for COVID-19.

"My best wishes to President Trump and the First Lady," Johnson, who was one of the world leaders to be hospitalized after contracting COVID-19, said on Twitter. "Hope they both have a speedy recovery from coronavirus."

UK government, Modi and Pence wish Trump speedy recovery

The British government wishes U.S. President Donald Trump a speedy recovery after testing positive to COVID-19, a British minister said on Friday.

"All of us want to send our best wishes to President Trump, the first lady and the Trump family and wish them a speedy recovery," Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick said.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday also reacted to the news on his Twitter account wishing America's first couple a quick recovery and good health.

U.S. Vice President Mike Pence posted a tweet that he and his wife "join millions across America" praying for Trump and Melania's "full and swift recovery."

U.S. President Trump and wife Melania test positive for COVID-19

U.S. President Donald Trump said early Friday morning that he and his wife, Melania, have tested positive for COVID-19, after news broke that a close aide had contracted the virus.

"We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately," he tweeted. "We will get through this TOGETHER!"

The announcement comes hours after the president confirmed that White House counselor Hope Hicks had contracted the virus.

President Donald Trump is "well" and will continue to perform his duties "without disruption" while quarantining along with the first lady, after both tested positive for the coronavirus, the president's physician said in a statement that released on October 1.

They "are both well at this time and they plan to remain home at the White House during their convalescence," doctor Sean Conley said.

"I expect the president to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering," the doctor noted.  

The White House dropped a Florida campaign trip from Trump's schedule on Friday after the positive result announcement. 

(With input from agencies) 

U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday night that he and his wife, Melania, are still awaiting their COVID-19 test results but they will begin a "quarantine process."

Trump's close aid Hope Hicks has tested positive for COVID-19, the president confirmed to Fox News on Thursday.

Hicks traveled with President Trump on the Air Force One to and from the first presidential debate on Tuesday. The report adds that there is no indication the president contracted the virus.

The White House said in a statement that Trump "takes the health and safety of himself and everyone who works in support of him and the American people very seriously" and that it followed guidelines for limiting COVID-19 exposure to the greatest extent possible.

Hicks returned to the White House earlier this year after a stint in the private sector. She served previously as White House communications director and as a spokesperson for Trump's 2016 presidential campaign.

Trump and his staff do not wear masks regularly and Trump has denigrated people who wear them. Health professionals say mask-wearing is one of the key things people can do to help prevent the spread of the virus.

The U.S. recorded more than 7.2 millions COVID-19 cases with 207,771 deaths nationwide as of Thursday evening, according to the latest tally from Johns Hopkins University. 

(With input from agencies)