Coronavirus: Mike Pence ‘not in quarantine’ after press secretary tests positive

US vice-president negative for Covid-19, plans to be at White House on Monday

Pence’s aide, Katie Miller, is second person working at White House complex known to test positive in a week, after Trump’s valet

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US Vice-President Mike Pence at a meeting in the Oval Office about the coronavirus response on Thursday. Photo: AP

Published: 6:46am, 11 May 2020Updated: 8:48am, 11 May 2020

US Vice-President Mike Pence is not in quarantine and plans to be at the White House on Monday, a spokesman said on Sunday, despite media reports that Pence was self-isolating after a staffer tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“Vice-President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House Medical Unit and is not in quarantine,“ spokesman Devin O’Malley said in a statement.

“Additionally, Vice-President Pence has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” the statement added.

The Trump administration has no plans to keep President Donald Trump and Pence apart, a person familiar with the matter said, as concerns rise about the spread of the coronavirus within the White House.

Trump told reporters on Friday that Pence’s spokeswoman, Katie Miller, had tested positive for the virus, a day after news that Trump’s personal valet also had tested positive.

Katie Miller (right), press Secretary for US Vice-President Mike Pence, speaks with reporters. She tested positive for Covid-19 the next day. Photo: Reuters

Trump said he himself had not been in contact with the spokeswoman, who is married to White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, but that she had spent time with the vice-president.