Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for COVID-19 just before meeting with Trump

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tested positive for coronavirus Thursday prior to meeting President Donald Trump, according to a news release.

DeWine, 73, has no symptoms and is returning to Columbus, the release stated. The Republican governor will quarantine for 14 days at his home.

DeWine was scheduled to greet Trump at the Burke Lakefront Airport in Cleveland on Thursday afternoon, Cleveland.com reported. Trump plans on visiting the Whirlpool plant in Sandusky County and a back to Cleveland Thursday night for a campaign fundraiser, according to WOIO.

Lt. Gov. Jon Husted was also tested for COVID-19 Wednesday as part of protocol to greet Trump and his test came back negative, according to a release.

Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is the only other governor to have tested positive for the coronavirus. The Republican governor said he was “pretty shocked” when he tested positive last month, according to the New York Times.

DeWine started out with a more aggressive approach in handling the COVID-19 pandemic, receiving “high marks” in the polls for his response — but he has recently faced increase scrutiny as cases in the state have started to sharply increase, the Associated Press reports.

His administration recently issued a statewide mask mandate after previously stopping short of doing so, according to the AP.

The governor also issued a travel warning in mid-July.

Those traveling from states with a 15% or higher positive testing rate should quarantine in a hotel or at home upon arrival, the order says.

This story will be updated.

This story was originally published August 6, 2020 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tests positive for COVID-19 just before meeting with Trump."