President Donald Trump’s youngest son, Barron, 14, contracted coronavirus earlier this month at the same time both of his parents were ill, first lady Melania Trump wrote in a statement post Wednesday.
When Trump was diagnosed with Covid-19, a statement released by his physician said that his children had tested negative. But Melania Trump said a day after testing negative, her son tested positive.
The teenager, who has maintained a low profile while his father has been president, experienced no symptoms and has since tested negative.
Melania Trump, on the other hand, said she experienced a "roller coaster of symptoms," though she described them as "minimal."
"Naturally my mind went immediately to our son," she wrote. "To our great relief he tested negative, but again, as so many parents have thought over the past several months, I couldn’t help but think 'what about tomorrow or the next day?' My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive."
She praised the medical care the first family received, saying it made her "even more grateful and in awe of caretakers and first responders everywhere."
"I was very fortunate as my diagnosis came with minimal symptoms, though they hit me all at once and it seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after," she added. "I experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time. I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food."
She said catching the illness and her husband's hospitalization led her to reflect on her family and the "hundreds of thousands of people across our country who have been impacted by this illness that infects people with no discrimination."
"We are in unprecedented times — and with the election fast approaching, it has been easy to get caught up in so much negative energy," she said. "Our country has overcome many hardships and much adversity, and it is my hope COVID-19 will be another obstacle we will be able to tell future generations we overcame — and learned from in the process."
The first lady said she has since tested negative for the virus and hopes to resume her duties as soon as possible.
Asked about the revelation of his son having tested positive for the virus, Trump told reporters Wednesday that "Barron's fine."
In addition to the president, first lady, and their teenage son, about 20 people close to the president and three Republican senators tested positive for the virus. Many of those who tested positive were at a Rose Garden ceremony late last month to announce the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court.
The president received an experimental antibody cocktail and was placed on a steroid treatment associated with more severe cases. His doctors said Trump additionally took supplemental oxygen twice in the early days of his infection.
But in the days since his release from Walter Reed Military Medical Center last week, doctors have said the president is improving and no longer considered a transmission risk.
More than 215,000 Americans have died so far of Covid-19, according to an NBC News tracker.
