Melania Trump Sits Out Campaign Event Due to 'Lingering Cough' After Detailing COVID-19 Recovery

Win McNamee/Getty From left: First Lady Melania Trump and President Donald Trump at the first debate with Joe Biden, on Sept. 29.

Melania Trump is reportedly canceling her return to the campaign trail this week due to continued symptoms after contracting the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

A spokeswoman for the 50-year-old first lady said she is still improving despite a "lingering cough," causing her to avoid a rally for her husband's re-election campaign as a precaution, according to the Associated Press. President Donald Trump and Mrs. Trump announced on Oct. 2 that they had tested positive for the coronavirus.

"Mrs. Trump continues to feel better every day following her recovery from COVID-19, but with a lingering cough, and out of an abundance of caution, she will not be traveling today," her chief of staff, Stephanie Grisham, said in a statement to USA Today, which noted that Mrs. Trump had been expected to appear at an event in Erie, Ohio, on Tuesday.

Grisham did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment.

The first lady said last Wednesday that, after days in recovery in the White House, “I am happy to report that I have tested negative and hope to resume my duties as soon as I can.”

In her statement last week, Mrs. Trump also said she had "experienced body aches, a cough and headaches, and felt extremely tired most of the time."

She remained in private recovery while her husband was hospitalized for three days.

"I chose to go a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food," she said last week. "We had wonderful caretakers around us and we will be forever grateful for the medical care and professional discretion we received from Dr. Conley and his team."

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The first lady also revealed then that her 14-year-old son, Barron, tested positive for COVID-19 and has since recovered. "As so many parents have thought over the past several months, I couldn’t help but think 'What about tomorrow or the next day?' " Mrs. Trump said in her previous statement. "My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive."

She said Barron showed "no symptoms" and later recovered, testing negative, though the White House has not said when.

"Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms," the first lady said, adding, "In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative."

President Trump, 74, was hospitalized with the virus earlier this month and received a mix of steroids, antivirals and experimental antibody treatments.

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The first lady has encouraged Americans “to continue to live the healthiest life they can,” though her statement last week gave no mention of wearing masks or practicing social distancing, which federal health experts have said are leading efforts all people can take to slow the spread of the virus.

The president has frequently shown his disdain for wearing masks, either by not complying or mocking them.

“We are in unprecedented times — and with the election fast approaching, it has been easy to get caught up in so much negative energy,” Mrs. Trump said last week.

At least 220,000 people in the U.S. have died from COVID-19, according to a New York Times tracker. More than 8.2 million people across the country, including the Trumps, have contracted the virus this year.

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