Washington DC [US], Mar 14 : US President Donald Trump on Friday (local time) said he may get tested for coronavirus but clarified that he is not taking the test because he has recently been in contact with people who have contracted the virus.
Trump, during a press conference on coronavirus, said that he would "most likely" get tested but not because of who he has come into contact with.
"Not for that reason but because I think I will do it anyway," Trump said. "Fairly soon, we're working out a schedule.
This comes after a Brazilian official, who dined and photographed with Trump and Vice President Mike Pence last weekend in Florida has been diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Fabio Wajngarten, the press secretary for the Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, had met the US President at Mar-a-Lago in Florida.
Trump said that White House doctors have told him that he does not need to be tested because he is showing no symptoms.
The US President declared the coronavirus outbreak a national emergency.
"I am officially declaring a national emergency -- two very big words," he said.
Trump announced that states will set up emergency operation centres immediately and all hospitals are to activate their emergency operations plans.
At least 41 people have died -- 31 in Washington state, which has been the epicentre of the outbreak, with at least 457 cases, four in California, two in Florida, one in Georgia, one in Kansas, one in New Jersey, and one in South Dakota.
( With inputs from ANI )