Two days after he implored residents to avoid large gatherings because of the risk of spreading the virus to family and friends, Gov. Mike DeWine of Ohio tested positive for the virus while being screened to greet President Trump in Cleveland today.
DeWine, a Republican who has stood out for his studious virus briefings and aggressive response, was tested as part of a standard protocol in order to greet Trump on the tarmac of Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland.
DeWine did not meet with the president, who was scheduled to speak about rebuilding the economy during a stop in Cleveland and then tour a Whirlpool plant in Clyde.
DeWine was not experiencing symptoms, and was headed back to Columbus, where he will be tested again and plans to self-isolate for 14 days, his office said.
Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was tested at the same time, the office said; his test was negative.
At a news conference earlier this week, DeWine cited several examples of how the virus spread insidiously among family, friends and neighbors in Ohio, warning that the people who are most at risk are often loved ones.
In one case, a churchgoer who attended a service while he was sick helped spread the virus to 91 other people spanning five counties.
In another, a son brushed off symptoms while holding a vigil for his dying father, and five relatives later tested positive.
In another case, at least 15 people were sickened after a man with symptoms attended his brother’s wedding.
The bride and groom were among those who fell ill.
The cases go to the heart of a problem many Americans are grappling with: how to weigh being present at important life events against the danger of contagion.
“Just because it’s your family, just because it’s your friends, they could still be carrying the virus,” DeWine said Tuesday. “Choosing to not gather for parties or barbecues might feel like you’re not being friendly, but it really is a sign of friendship.”
At least 26 new coronavirus deaths and 1,199 new cases were reported in Ohio on Wednesday.
Over the past week, there have been an average of 1,202 new cases per day, a decrease of 11 percent from the average two weeks earlier.
The state has recorded 96,305 cases and 3,596 deaths since the beginning of the pandemic, according to a New York Times database.
DeWine is the second governor in the nation known to have tested positive.
Gov. Kevin Stitt of Oklahoma, a Republican, received a positive test result last month.
Others whose infections have been detected by White House screenings ahead of scheduled meetings with the president include Representative Louie Gohmert, Republican of Texas, and Mark Lamb, the sheriff of Pinal County, Ariz.