Xavier Besera, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, tested positive for coronavirus on Wednesday, his department said hours after the White House announced that Ashley Biden, the daughter of President Biden and the first lady, Jill Biden, had tested positive. .
According to the administration, none of them is considered close contact with Mr Biden. Close contact is a person who has been less than six feet from an infected person for at least 15 minutes in a 24-hour period, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Ms. Biden, 40, was due to travel with Dr. Biden to Ecuador on Wednesday afternoon, but will no longer travel with her mother. Earlier this month, Ms. Biden was scheduled to accompany Dr. Biden on her trip to Eastern Europe to visit Ukrainian refugees, but on the night of the trip, the White House said Ms. Biden was in close contact with someone. who has tested positive for coronavirus and will remain.
Karin Jean-Pierre, the White House spokeswoman, said Wednesday that Mr Biden had not seen his daughter for “several days”.
Mr Besera tested positive for the virus in Berlin on Wednesday morning, where he was scheduled to attend meetings of the Group of 7 Health Ministers, said Sarah Lowenheim, assistant secretary of public affairs at the Ministry of Health and Human Services.
Mr Besera has been fully vaccinated and has been vaccinated and is experiencing mild symptoms, the statement said. He will continue to work in isolation.
Mr Besera was last at the White House on Thursday and is not considered close contact with Mr Biden, Ms Lowenheim said. The White House requires masks and social distancing when officials meet with the president.
Ms Biden and Mr Besera are among a handful of prominent people in the president’s orbit who have recently tested positive for coronavirus, reiterating concerns about Mr Biden’s potential exposure, although no one is considered close contact. Susan Rice, the White House’s domestic policy adviser, tested positive last week.
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