Several members of the US Secret Service reportedly now are infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus, according to Department Homeland Security documents obtained by Yahoo News. According to a DHS daily report, there are currently 11 cases of COVID-19 registered in the Secret Service.
Along with the 11 cases, there are reportedly 23 employees who have recovered from the disease and 60 others who are on self-quarantine. It is unclear whether the listed employees have been in contact with the US president or vice president, as well as those reportedly infected.
"To protect the privacy of our employee’s health information and for operational security, the Secret Service is not releasing how many of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, nor how many of its employees were, or currently are, quarantined", Secret Service spokeswoman Justine Whelan said.
Whelan asserted that the Secret Service is following coronavirus-related guidelines, without, however, saying how many employees working in the White House complex have tested positive for the coronavirus.
“Since the beginning of this pandemic, the Secret Service has been working with all of our public safety partners and the White House Medical Unit to ensure the safety and security of both our protected persons and our employees. The Secret Service continues to follow guidance issued by the CDC to ensure the health and welfare of our employees and those they come in contact with", Whelan stated.
This comes as an aide to Vice President Mike Pence and a spokesperson for the VP have tested positive for COVID-19. The White House stated that both Pence and Trump continue to test negative for the disease.
Earlier in March, the Secret Service announced that one of its employees had the coronavirus and had been sent to quarantine without having contacted other employees.
The total number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the US is 1,283,908 people, while the disease has claimed over 77,000 lives, according to data provided by Johns Hopkins University.
