Washington, Apr 3 (IANS): US President Donald Trump has tested negative for COVID-19 for a second time, the White House announced.

In a memo issued on Thursday, White House physician Sean Conley said Trump was tested for the virus earlier in the day, "utilizing a new, rapid point-of-care test capability", reports Xinhua news agency.

"The President tested negative for COVID-19," Conley wrote.

"He is healthy and without symptoms. Sample collection took just one minute, and results were reported back in 15 minutes."

During a White House press briefing on Thursday, Trump said he took the test "really out of curiosity".

The US Food and Drug Administration approved the new coronavirus test last week, which officials have claimed can provide results in 15 minutes.

Trump was first tested for coronavirus on March 14, after a Brazilian official who previously met him at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida had tested positive.

A staffer in Vice President Mike Pence's office tested positive for the virus on March 20. Both

Pence and his wife later tested negative.

As of Friday morning, the US reported 245,070 confirmed coronavirus cases, the highest in the world, with 5,949 deaths, according to the latest update by the Washington-based Johns Hopkins University.