US secretary of state tests positive for COVID-19

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, the State Department announced in the latest episode of a senior Biden administration official contracting the coronavirus.

Blinken, who "is fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus," is experiencing "mild symptoms," spokesman Ned Price said in a statement. Blinken tested negative earlier Wednesday morning, as well as on Tuesday.

The top diplomat had not met in person with US President Joe Biden "for several days," and Biden is not considered a close contact, according to Price.

Blinken will isolate at home and work virtually, and "looks forward to returning to the Department and resuming his full duties and travels as soon as possible."

Blinken's diagnosis comes one week after Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive. It is unclear when Blinken might resume in-person duties, but Harris did not return to the White House for roughly a week while she waited to test negative.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki has come down with COVID-19 twice, including once in March and an earlier time in October when she was forced to call off plans to accompany Biden to the G-20 summit in Rome.