Oct 2, 2020 - Economy

Three journalists working at White House test positive for COVID-19

Jacob Knutson

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany holding a press briefing on Oct. 1. Photo: Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images

At least three reporters working at the White House tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday, Zeke Miller, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, said in a letter to colleagues.

Why it matters: The cases follow President Trump's positive COVID-19 diagnosis and cases among other White House staffers. Multiple White House journalists are self-isolating while awaiting test results, Miller said.

The state of play: One reporter who received a positive test Friday morning had attended a White House briefing last Sunday.

A second reporter was most recently part of the travel pool on Saturday for a trip to Pennsylvania, but was briefly at the White House earlier that day for a coronavirus test.
Another journalist was most recently part of the in-town travel pool last Sunday, which included a presidential news conference and a golf course trip. The person also were in the in-town pool on Saturday, which included a Rose Garden event.

What they're saying: "The White House Medical Unit is beginning the process of contact tracing for these cases," Miller said. "We do not yet have an estimated time of completion for that process."

"For seven months, we have been clear-eyed about the inherent risks in fulfilling our obligation to keeping the American public informed. Today those risks are more evident than ever, but our work is only growing more vital."

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Three journalists working at White House test positive for COVID-19

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