DeWine tests negative for coronavirus a second time

Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine (R) has tested negative for coronavirus a second time on Saturday after he received conflicting positive and negative results two days before.

The midwestern leader and his wife were tested again “out of an abundance of caution,” at Ohio State University, according to a report from Politico. 

“Today, Fran and I were tested again for #COVID19. @OSUWexMed administered the PCR tests, and the results for both tests were negative,” DeWine tweeted, referring to himself and his wife. “Thank you to everyone who sent along good wishes for our family and staff! We’re #InThisTogetherOhio!”

Today, Fran and I were tested again for #COVID19. @OSUWexMed administered the PCR tests, and the results for both tests were negative. Thank you to everyone who sent along good wishes for our family and staff! We’re #InThisTogetherOhio!

— Governor Mike DeWine (@GovMikeDeWine) August 8, 2020

DeWine first said he tested positive for the virus on Thursday ahead of a scheduled meeting with President Trump in Cleveland this week. DeWine tweeted Thursday that he was not experiencing symptoms at the time.

“I was fully expecting to see the president that morning,” DeWine said in a press conference Friday. “But as we were driving to the airport to meet him, I was called and told about my positive result.”

However, hours later on Thursday, the governor took a different kind of test that came out negative on two different diagnostic platforms. 

DeWine’s office said the second test was a PCR test, which “is known to be extremely sensitive, as well as specific, for the virus,” while the one administered Thursday morning was a rapid point-of-care antigen test at a mobile testing site facilitated by the Republican National Committee.

The PCR test is the most common test used in the country, and the conflicting results underscore the importance of accuracy for both patients and medical professionals as the county continues to be ravaged by the virus.