U.S. President Donald Trump took a COVID-19 test on Friday and the result was negative, according to the president's physician Sean Conley on Saturday.

"Last night after an in-depth discussion with the President regarding COVID-19 testing, he elected to proceed," Conley wrote in the memorandum. "This evening I received confirmation that the test is negative."

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Trump changed his mind and took the test Friday for the coronavirus, which has killed some 5,800 people worldwide. The test result turned out negative on Saturday evening, according to a memo written by Conley that was released by the White House. 

White House officials also took the unprecedented step of checking the body temperatures of journalists entering the briefing room. 

The decisions follow a series of close encounters between Trump and COVID-19-infected individuals, including a member of a Brazilian delegation in Washington last week, who has since tested positive.

Shelves picked clean 

The pandemic has forced public schools, sporting events and cultural and entertainment venues to close across the United States. 

American shoppers swept clean grocery store shelves of products ranging from disinfectants and toilet paper to rice and milk, causing retailers to race to restock their inventory. 

In response to the run on certain items, major retailers have imposed some purchase limits. On Saturday morning, about 500 people were lined up for two blocks outside a Costco in Garden Grove, California, waiting for the store to open. 

Long lines of shoppers were reported outside food stores in other parts of the United States. 

On Friday, Trump declared a national emergency in a move that he said would bring "the full power of the federal government" to bear on the escalating health crisis by freeing up some 50 billion U.S. dollars in aid. He also urged every state to set up emergency centers to help fight the virus. 

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Early on Saturday, the U.S. House of Representatives overwhelmingly passed a coronavirus aid package that would provide free testing and paid sick leave, in a bid to limit the economic damage from the outbreak. 

Economists said the impact of the outbreak on businesses could tip the U.S. economy into a recession.

(Cover: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during briefing on coronavirus in the Brady press briefing room at the White House, Washington, March 14, 2020. /AP)

(With input from Reuters)