Coronavirus hits US Secret Service Staff, 11 Active cases, 60 in quarantine

On Saturday (9 May, 2020) around a dozen members of the U.S. Secret Service protecting the president, the vice president and their families, were tested positive of the coronavirus, with several dozen other staff members. The members have been self-quarantined. Among the Secret Service's 7,600 employees, there are 3,000 agents who work closely with those whom they protect. There has been no breakdown of infection numbers and whether they were civilians or agents working closely with U.S. political leaders. Their locations are also not known.

Coronavirus hits US Secret Service

In a statement, Secret Service spokesperson Justine Whelan said, ‘To protect the privacy of our employee's health information and for operational security, the Secret Service is not releasing how many of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, nor how many of its employees were, or currently are, quarantined.’ In Saturday report published in Newsweek, the revelation was made on Coronavirus infection in United States Secret Service. It is stated in report that 60 people have been sent to quarantine, eleven cases are active and 23 have been recovered, the Newsweek added.

Coronavirus hits U.S. Secret Service staff with 11 active cases, 23 recoveries and 60 in quarantine https://t.co/6LrcBpExkT

— Newsweek (@Newsweek) May 9, 2020

‘Since the beginning of this pandemic, the Secret Service has been working with all of our public safety partners and the White House Medical Unit to ensure the safety and security of both our protected persons and our employees. The Secret Service continues to follow guidance issued by the CDC to ensure the health and welfare of our employees and those they come in contact with.’

Should Read- Personal Assistant of Ivanka Trump tested Covid19 positive

The revelation comes amid reports that the disease has crept into to the White House's inner circle. The Secret Service confirmed in March that a single employee had tested positive for COVID-19. But according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents, and also reported by USA Today, the disease is much more widespread, with 11 active cases at the agency, 23 staff members recovered, and 60 now in self-isolation.