Miami-Dade mayor tests negative for COVID-19 after event with Brazil president’s aide

Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez said Friday he tested negative for COVID-19, four days after attending a Miami event with a Brazilian official who later tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“My result was negative,” Gimenez said by text Friday morning. Even so, Gimenez said he plans to remain self-isolated for up to 14 days.

“This virus may take a little bit longer to manifest itself. I’m negative. I feel fine,” Gimenez said Friday during an interview with Paul Castronovo on Big 105.9. “At this point, I’m going to stay in isolation.”

Gimenez hastily began self-isolation Thursday afternoon over concerns about a positive COVID-19 test for Fabio Wajngarten, press secretary to Brazil President Jair Bolsonaro.

Gimenez was with Wajngarten and Bolsonaro at a Miami reception Monday, as was Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. There’s no word yet on test results for Suarez, who also began self-isolation Thursday.

Wajngarten’s reported COVID-19 diagnosis raised concerns that President Donald Trump may have been exposed to the virus, too. He posed for a photo with Wajngarten during a Saturday event at the president’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach County. The White House said Trump would not be tested for COVID-19 or isolate himself. Gimenez and Suarez said they underwent testing and isolation under the advice of Florida’s Department of Health.

This story was originally published March 13, 2020 at 9:09 AM.