An aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested positive for COVID-19 after contact with the Texas House Democratic Caucus, which has seen six of its members infected by the coronavirus since fleeing last week to Washington, D.C.
Pelosi spokesperson Drew Hammill confirmed in a statement that the aide received a positive test result Monday after last week’s encounter with the Texas Democrats, but that the staffer has had no contact with the House speaker.
“Yesterday, a fully-vaccinated senior spokesperson in the Speaker’s Press Office tested positive for COVID after contact with members of the Texas state legislature last week,” Mr. Hammill said Tuesday in an email.
“This individual has had no contact with the Speaker since exposure,” he continued. “The entire Press Office is working remotely today with the exception of individuals who have had no exposure to the individual or have had a recent negative test. Our office will continue to follow the guidance of the Office of Attending Physician closely.”
In addition, the White House confirmed Tuesday that a fully vaccinated official has tested positive.
According to Axios, the aide attended a reception last week with the Texas Democrats, but the White House statement said nothing about contact with the state delegation.
SEE ALSO: Number of runaway Texas Democrats testing positive for COVID-19 rises to six
“Yesterday, a fully vaccinated White House official tested positive for COVID-19 off campus,” a White House official said in an email.
“In accordance with our rigorous COVID-19 protocols, the official remains off campus as they wait for a confirmatory PCR test,” the statement said. “The White House Medical Unit has conducted contact tracing interviews and determined no close contacts among White House principals and staff. The individual has mild symptoms.”
The Texas House Democrats also met last week with Vice President Kamala Harris, who has since tested negative for COVID-19, as the caucus makes the rounds after arriving July 12 to break quorum and prevent the state House from passing an elections bill.
A member of the Texas caucus reportedly tested positive for the virus Monday, bringing the total number of legislators with the disease to six. The caucus has nearly 60 members camped out in Washington, D.C., where they plan to stay until the end of the special session on Aug. 6.
Scoop from the prolific @HansNichols — https://t.co/QoD6wdZ9ux
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) July 20, 2021
• Valerie Richardson can be reached at vrichardson@washingtontimes.com.
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