Barron Trump, the teenage son of United States President Donald Trump, contracted coronavirus after his parents tested positive for COVID-19 but has since tested negative, First Lady Melania Trump has said.
In a blog posted on the White House website, Melania said that Barron, 14, exhibited no symptoms, a departure from herself and the president, who have both said they experienced mild symptoms.
Trump announced that he and the First Lady had tested positive in the early-morning hours on October 1, after the news that one of the president's closest aides Hope Hicks had contracted the virus.
Both have now recovered from the disease.
"My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily, he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms. In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative," Melania said on Wednesday.
While Melania and Barron stayed at the White House, Trump had to spend three nights and four days at a military hospital to recover from the disease.
The president is now back on his campaign trail.
Sharing her experience, Melania said that she was very fortunate as her diagnosis came with minimal symptoms, though they hit her all at once and it seemed to be a roller coaster of symptoms in the days after.
"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. We had wonderful caretakers around us and we will be forever grateful for the medical care and professional discretion we received from Dr. Conley and his team," she said.
"It was an unfamiliar feeling for me to be the patient instead of a person trying to encourage our nation to stay healthy and safe. It was me being taken care of now, and getting first-hand experience with all that COVID-19 can do," she said.
"As the patient, and the person benefitting from so much medical support, I found myself even more grateful and in awe of caretakers and first responders everywhere. To the medical staff and the residence staff who have been taking care of our family -- thank you doesn't say enough," she wrote in an essay entitled "My Personal Experience with Covid-19".
The First Lady encouraged everyone to continue to live the healthiest life they can.
A balanced diet, fresh air, and vitamins really are vital to keep our bodies healthy, she said.
"For your complete well-being, compassion and humility are just as important in keeping our minds strong. For me personally, the most impactful part of my recovery was the opportunity to reflect on many things — family, friendships, my work, and staying true to who you are," she wrote.
An event at the White House on September 26, for the unveiling of Trump's Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett, was thought to be the root of the localised outbreak.
The White House press secretary, former Trump counsellor Kellyanne Conway and two senators were among the people around the president who tested positive for the virus.
The US has recorded more than 7.8 million coronavirus cases and 216,000 deaths, according to data collated by Johns Hopkins University.
