Ohio governor tests positive for COVID-19 ahead of Trump's visit
Update: On Thursday night, DeWine's office announced that a second coronavirus test came back negative. Read the latest updates here.
Ohio's Republican Governor Mike DeWine has tested positive for COVID-19, hours before he was set to greet the president at the airport for his visit to the Buckeye State. DeWine was slated to greet Mr. Trump on the tarmac in Cleveland Thursday afternoon.
DeWine's office confirmed the positive test in a news release. DeWine was tested as a part of the usual protocol for being in close proximity to the president. The state's lieutenant governor, Jon Husted, tested negative for the virus.
At this point, the Ohio governor has no symptoms. DeWine is returning to Columbus with his wife, who also has no symptoms. He will quarantine at his home in Cedarville for the next 14 days, according to the news release.
The positive test is a blow to the president's visit, in which he is slated to deliver remarks on economic prosperity and gains against the virus.
"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.
DeWine was one of the first governors to take dramatic steps to slow the spread of the virus this spring and the first governor to close schools statewide. He's taken mask-wearing, social distancing and proper hygiene seriously from the early days of the pandemic.
Speaking later Thursday afternoon, DeWine said he isn't sure where he picked up the virus, and he's been very careful with his interactions.