Vice President Mike Pence said Saturday that he and his wife Karen would be tested for the coronavirus after a staff member in his office tested positive for the virus this week. “Given the unique position that I have as vice president and as the leader of the White House coronavirus task force, both I and my wife will be tested for the coronavirus later this afternoon,” Pence said during a news conference at the White House.
His office announced Friday that one of its members tested positive for the coronavirus — the closest confirmed case to Pence that is publicly known.
Pence told reporters Saturday that his staffer who tested positive for coronavirus is “doing well,” had “mild” cold-like symptoms for a day and a half, and has not been at the White House since Monday.
He reiterated neither President Donald Trump nor himself had direct contact with the staff member and said that health authorities have traced his contacts. Trump has already tested negative for the virus, the White House said last week. Pence and Dr. Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, stressed to Americans that they do not have to get tested if they are not displaying symptoms.
