This archive report was first published on 9 May 2020.
Published on May 9, 2020, by AFP
US Vice President Mike Pence's spokeswoman, Katie Miller, has tested positive for Covid-19, officials announced on Friday, raising concerns about the White House becoming a viral hot spot.
Miller, who is married to top Trump aide Stephen Miller, is the second White House staffer to test positive for the coronavirus this week.
President Donald Trump, who has been pushing for a quicker reopening of the US economy, continued to go mask-free at a World War II commemoration with veterans in their 90s.
Miller's positive test disrupted a trip by Pence to Des Moines, Iowa, with six people who may have had contact with her made to get off the airplane.
"Out of abundance of caution we went back and looked into all the person's contacts most recently," said a senior administration official.
Trump and Pence were tested and confirmed to be negative, both are tested daily.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said there was no risk of a White House outbreak or threat to Trump.
"I can just tell you that we've taken every single precaution to protect the president," she said.
Trump has drawn criticism for refusing to follow his own health experts' advice on wearing a mask in public.
