Coronavirus: Mike Pence in isolation after aide infected

US Vice-President Mike Pence is self-isolating after his press secretary tested positive for the coronavirus last week.

Katie Miller at the White House last month. Picture: AP

US Vice-President Mike Pence is self-isolating after his press secretary tested positive for the corona­virus last week, joining three of America’s top scientists in taking protective steps after possible exposure.

A Trump administration official said Mr Pence was voluntarily keeping his distance from other people in line with guidance from the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

He has repeatedly tested negative for COVID-19 since his exposure but was following the advice of medical officials.

“Vice-President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,” spokesman Devin O’Malley said on Sunday (Monday AEST).

“Additionally, Vice-President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow.”

Mr Pence has been at home since returning to Washington from a day trip to Iowa on Friday and did not appear at President Donald Trump’s meeting with military leaders on Saturday at the White House. He was informed of his press secretary Katie Miller’s positive test shortly before departing for that trip.

Mike Pence in Urbandale, Iowa, on Friday. Picture: AP)

He has led the White House coronavirus taskforce for two months. Top officials who have gone into quarantine because of exposure to a person at the White House who tested positive for the virus are Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; CDC director Robert Redfield; and Food and Drug Administration commissioner Stephen Hahn.

Ms Miller on Friday became the second person at the White House known to test positive for the virus. A military valet to the President tested positive on Thursday. After Ms Miller was identified as having tested positive, Mr Trump said he was “not worried” about the virus spreading in the White House. Nonetheless, officials said they were stepping up safety protocols for the complex.

The three officials were expected to testify by videoconference before a Senate health committee on Tuesday. On Sunday, the office of committee chairman Lamar ­Alexander, said the senator would be self-quarantining in Tennessee for two weeks after a staff member tested positive.

The US recorded 776 corona­virus deaths in 24 hours to Sunday, bringing the total to 79,522.

The figure was the lowest daily tally since March, with 24-hour totals in recent weeks ranging from 1000 to 2500. America — hardest hit in terms of fatalities — has a caseload of 1,329,072.

AP