Ivanka, Pence staff test Covid positive

Washington, May 9: Ivanka Trump’s personal assistant has tested positive for the deadly Covid-19, making her the third White House staff member to be infected, a media report said on Saturday.

The assistant, who works in a personal capacity for US President Donald Trump’s daughter, has not been around her in several weeks, the CNN reported. She has been teleworking for nearly two months and was tested out of caution, the report quoted a source as saying. She was not symptomatic.

Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner both tested negative on Friday, the person familiar with the matter told the US news channel. The development comes a day after President Trump confirmed that Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller had tested positive for the

Covid-19. “She’s a wonderful young woman, Katie, she tested very good for a long period of time and then all of a sudden today she tested positive,” Trump said during a meeting at the White House.

He said Miller had not come into contact with him but spent some time with Pence. One of Trump’s personal valets tested positive on Thursday. Following the news of the valet’s illness, Trump said he would be tested for the

Covid-19 daily. According to a senior official, contact tracing was performed inside the White House after Miller’s test came positive.

The White House is now making sure staffers wear masks in the White House residence, and tests and temperature checks are being boosted throughout the West Wing.