U.S. Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence have tested negative for coronavirus.
Devin O’Malley, the Vice President’s press secretary, confirmed his status with an update posted to Twitter on Friday morning.
“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.”
Pence’s first debate with Vice Presidential candidate Kamala Harris is due Oct. 7 at Kingsbury Hall at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. The debate will be moderated by Susan Page, USA Today’s Washington bureau chief.
President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the virus early on Friday. “Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!,” the President tweeted.
Pence had wished them well, noting he sent “love and prayers” to the couple and wished them a “swift recovery.”
The news of the Trumps testing positive sent shockwaves around the world and drew mixed reactions.
Trump’s next debate with Presidential candidate Joe Biden is scheduled for Oct. 15. It is not clear at this stage whether the debate will go ahead as planned, or not, and if it does, in what format.
Meanwhile, Biden has wished the Trumps a “swift recovery.” “Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family,” Biden tweeted.
The election is scheduled for Nov. 3.