US State Dept spokesman tests positive for COVID-19 after UNGA

WASHINGTON — State Department spokesman Ned Price has tested positive for COVID-19 and will be self-quarantining for the next 10 days. Price, who is vaccinated, said he tested positive for coronavirus on Monday morning after returning from New York, where he attended the annual UN General Assembly meeting with Secretary of State Antony Blinken last week.

Price said his symptoms were relatively mild. It was not immediately clear if Blinken may have been exposed to disease.

“After experiencing symptoms for the first time this morning, I tested positive for COVID-19 shortly thereafter, & will now quarantine for the next 10 days,” Price said in a tweet. “I’m feeling under the weather but am grateful for the protection from severe illness offered by safe and effective vaccines.”

In New York, Price attended numerous events with Blinken, including meetings with foreign ministers and senior officials from more than 60 countries. Blinken and Price were part of a large US delegation to the General Assembly that included dozens of senior diplomats. There were no other reports of positive tests in the delegation.

Blinken is due to travel to Pittsburgh later this week for an US-EU trade and Technology conference and then next week to Europe, California and Mexico. There was no indication that either trip might be postponed.

Agencies via Xinhua