"No, I'm not concerned at all. No, I'm not. We've done a great job" and "we'll have tremendous rallies" – that was the response from U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday to the news that an attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) had tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

Trump insisted he wasn't concerned that the virus was getting closer to the White House, despite both the president and Vice President Mike Pence having attended the conservative conference in late February.  

Just a few hours after Trump made the remarks, it was confirmed that a man in his 50s who lives in Washington, D.C. had tested positive for the virus. 

On February 29 there was one confirmed death from coronavirus in the U.S., but a week later the rapidly-spreading virus has killed 19 people in the country and affected more than 30 states as well as the District of Columbia.

Read more:

Trump moves to calm fears after first COVID-19 death in U.S.

Organizers of CPAC said an attendee of its annual Washington-area conference last month has tested positive for coronavirus.

"A New Jersey hospital tested the person, and CDC confirmed the positive result," according to a statement by the American Conservative Union, the host of the event. 

"The individual is under the care of medical professionals in New Jersey and has been quarantined," the statement continued.

The conference was attended by numerous high-profile conservative political figures, including Trump and Pence. The organizer said the affected person had "no interaction" with Trump or Pence and did not attend events in the conference's main hall.

The conference took place from February 26 to 29 in Fort Washington, Maryland, just outside the District of Columbia.

"The Trump administration is aware of the situation, and we will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials," the American Conservative Union's statement added.

Trump held his most recent campaign rally last Monday in Charlotte, North Carolina.