Secret Service employee tests positive for coronavirus nearly three weeks after last contact with colleagues and protectees
- The employee is currently in quarantine and the agency will continue to monitor his condition
- They conducted a 'comprehensive contact trace assessment' and found the employee hasn't had contact with colleagues or protectees for three weeks
- Confirmed cases have risen to around 600 in the Washington DC area
- A member of Vice President Trump's team recently tested positive for COVID-19
- Donald and Ivanka Trump, and Mike Pence have tested negative for the virus
- Coronavirus symptoms: what are they and should you see a doctor?
A member of the Secret Service has tested positive for coronavirus.
The federal law enforcement agency announced the news overnight on Sunday and later clarified that the unidentified employee had not had any contact with colleagues or people they are hired to protect, in the past several weeks.
The Secret Service member was said to be experiencing mild symptoms of the illness – which can range from as little as a headache and fever.
A Secret Service employee has tested positive for COVID-19 it was revealed overnight Sunday. File image: Secret Service officers stands guard as President Donald Trump walks across the South lawn of the White House in Washington DC on March 5 (stock picture)
Above shows the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the United States as well as related deaths as of Monday
'A U.S. Secret Service employee has tested positive for COVID-19,' a spokesman said in a statement. 'The employee is currently in quarantine. The agency will continue to monitor the employee's condition.'
It's unknown where the employee worked.
CBS learned from an official: 'The Secret Service has conducted a comprehensive contact trace assessment and determined that the employee has not had contact with any Secret Service employee or protectee for nearly three weeks.'
Coronavirus carriers are recommended to stay in quarantine for 14 days to prevent the spread of the deadly virus to others.
It comes as confirmed cases rose to around 600 in the Washington DC area.
Among those is a member of Vice President Mike Pence's team who was experiencing mild symptoms. However Pence tested negative this weekend.
President Trump and his advisor daughter Ivanka Trump have also tested negative.
Secret Service conducted a 'comprehensive contact trace assessment' and found the employee hasn't had contact with colleagues or protectees for three weeks. File image from March 12 outside the White House West Wing (stock picture)
The first person to contract the disease in Washington DC was a reverend in his 50s earlier this month.
Since then numbers have rapidly spiked.
Around the country there were more than 35,000 confirmed cases and over 471 deaths to COVID-19 on Monday.
As a third of the country was under lockdown after governors issued stay-at-home orders to help prevent the spread of coronavirus, Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin was hoping to reach a deal on a massive economic rescue plan.
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Trump officials and congressional leaders, meanwhile, were to resume talks Monday morning after working through the night on the $2 trillion plan.
People and businesses could get cash within the next two to three weeks and Steve Mnuchin has pleaded with companies to hold on and not fire their workers.
Democrats had derailed the plan Sunday night, arguing it was tilted toward corporations and did too little to help workers and health care providers.
Across the country there have been vast job losses and a lack of medical supplies for those on the frontline treating patients in hospital.
COVID-19 victims can experience pneumonia and death in more severe cases.
Ivanka (left) and Donald Trump (right) recently tested negative for the coronavirus. The White House senior advisor and her father are pictured at a daily coronavirus task force briefing in Washington DC on March 20
Vice President Mike Pence (right) also tested negative recently. A member of Pence's staff tested positive recently
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