Covid 19 coronavirus: Trump at packed rally hours before positive diagnosis

US President Donald Trump tosses a cap at attendees as he arrives at a "Make America Great Again" rally in Duluth, Minnesota. Photo / Getty Images

Just a day before Donald Trump tested positive for coronavirus, the US president was filmed throwing hats out to a keen crowd in Minnesota.

The president spent almost an hour speaking to voters in Duluth, Minnesota on Wednesday (US time) in a campaign speech at the town's airport.

Trump narrowly lost the midwestern state to Hillary Clinton in 2016, leading to him fly in for an outdoor rally with his faithful.

Footage taken at the airport rally, verified by Storyful, showed Trump throwing out Make America Great Again (MAGA) hats to voters.

The videos, taken by citizen journalist Brendan Gutenschwager, showed the crowd chanting "USA" as Trump took to the stage.

Trump tossing hats out to the crowd as he steps on stage #TrumpRally #Trump2020 #Duluth pic.twitter.com/0NPKCKX9ZL

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 1, 2020

Tossing hats to the lumberjacks as well. “Hello, Duluth!” #TrumpRally #Trump2020 #Duluth pic.twitter.com/zfXa7AEg6N

— Brendan Gutenschwager (@BGOnTheScene) October 1, 2020

Storyful has verified video footage showing US President Donald Trump throwing a hat into a crowd in Duluth, Minnesota, just one day before he announced testing positive for #covid19

Footage is available for newsrooms here:https://t.co/Cm0MnZF87N, https://t.co/kLMPjGfQgM pic.twitter.com/s6ox8FHKWW

— JJ Worrall (@johnjoeworrall) October 2, 2020

Hours later, one of his closest aides, Hope Hicks, admitted she was suffering from coronavirus symptoms.

Hicks travelled back to the White House from Duluth in a separate cabin on Air Force One after she became ill.

President Trump speaks in Duluth. Photo / Getty Images

After a Wednesday night test, Hicks was confirmed to have coronavirus early on Thursday.

"On Thursday evening, before his own diagnosis was made public, Mr Trump sounded raspy on a call with Iowa voters and in an interview later with Sean Hannity on Fox News. Some aides chalked it up to a busy week of campaigning," the New York Times reported.

During his interview with Sean Hannity on Thursday, Trump said it had been difficult for him and his staff to social distance.

"It's very hard when you're with soldiers, when you are with airmen, when you're with the Marines, and the police officers, I'm with them so much," he told Fox News.

"And when they come over to you, it's hard to say, 'stay back, stay back'. You know, it's a tough kind of a situation, it's a terrible thing.

"I just went for a test, and we'll see what happens. I mean, who knows … I was surprised to hear with Hope, but she's a very warm person with them."