US Secret Service agents gather for a COVID-19 test in Washington. File photo/Reuters

Gulf Today Report

Coronavirus has sidelined a large number of US Secret Service officers assigned to protect President Donald Trump as dozens of other officers who had not tested positive had gone into quarantine as a protective measure.

Secret Service representatives declined to give a tally of officers affected, the “Washington Post” and “New York Times” reported on Friday as the coronavirus outbreak spread at the White House.

UAE detects 1,226 new COVID-19 cases

China finds coronavirus on packaging of Brazilian beef

Two US government sources familiar with the situation confirmed to the media that Secret Service officers had tested positive for the virus but did not provide a specific number.

The Post did not say how many officers tested positive for the virus versus those who had to isolate because of close contact with an infected co-worker. It said about 10% of the core security team had been sidelined.

The New York Times reported that at least 30 uniformed Secret Service officers recently tested positive for the virus, and that around 60 were asked by the agency to quarantine themselves.

The US flag waves at the White House.

White House spokesman Judd Deere referred questions to the Secret Service, but told the Post separately that the administration took every case seriously.

The outbreak, which the Post said was at least partly linked to a series of Trump rallies before the Nov.3 election, comes roughly a month after the president himself contracted COVID-19 and was flown to a US military hospital for days of treatment.

COVID-19 has also infected a number of other top officials in the White House, top administration officials and Cabinet members and Trump campaign aides. None has died.

First lady Melania Trump, Trump’s youngest son Barron, top aide Hope Hicks, national security adviser Robert O’Brien and White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany all previously tested positive.

Others to have contracted the virus include US Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson and, according to a source familiar with the matter, Trump campaign adviser Corey Lewandowski.

US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has repeatedly criticized the White House and the president over their handling of the pandemic, told reporters the latest outbreak was further proof of “Trump’s reckless campaign schedule.”