FILE – Chairman of the General Staff Mark Milley (C) attends the Medal of Honor ceremony to be awarded to U.S. Army Sergeant Major Thomas Payne for his remarkable bravery while serving in Iraq, in the East Room of the White House in Washing (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS / AFP via Getty Images)
Key military leaders are in self-quarantine after senior Coast Guard official tested positive for coronavirus, Pentagon said on Tuesday Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen Mark Milley was among those affected, US officials said
The military leaders who were in contact with Adm Charles W Coast Guard vice commander Ray has been tested, Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement None have shown any symptoms or have so far tested positive
Hoffman said quarantining leaders will not affect « the operational readiness or mission capacity of the US Armed Forces »
« Senior military officials are able to remain fully mission fit and perform their duties from another place of work, » he said
Hoffman’s statement did not identify those affected, but several US officials said that in addition to Milley, they included the chiefs of the military, navy and air force, as well as US Cyber Command Chief Gen Paul Nakasone
« We know Vice Commander Ray tested positive for COVID-19 and was at the Pentagon last week for meetings with other senior military officials, » according to a statement from the secretary’s office. defense Operations
« Some of the meeting attendees included other department heads. We are conducting additional contact tracing and taking appropriate precautions to protect the force and the mission, » the statement continued. »As a precaution, all potential close contacts from these meetings are quarantined and were tested this morningNo Pentagon contacts have shown any symptoms and we have no further positive tests to report at this time. «
It is not known how Ray contracted the virus, but it is not believed to be linked to the outbreak affecting President Donald Trump and others in the White House, officials said
The Coast Guard said in a statement that Ray experienced mild symptoms over the weekend and was tested on Monday
Up to 14 officials have reportedly been potentially exposed to the virus after meetings with Ray last week Officials were told of the positive test on Monday
President Donald Trump returns to the White House after treatment for COVID-19 at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center
Coronavirus, Mark Milley, United States Armed Forces, United States Coast Guard, United States Department of Defense, Quarantine, Pentagon, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff
World News – United States – Army, Navy and Air Force Chiefs Quarantined After Top Coast Guard Officials Test Positive for COVID-19
