Washington: US national security adviser Robert O’Brien has tested positive for coronavirus and has “mild symptoms,” the White House announced on Monday, becoming the highest ranking Trump administration official to contract the deadly disease.
O’Brien has been self-isolating and working from home and there was no risk of exposure to President Donald Trump or Vice-President Mike Pence, the statement said.
The 54-year-old top Trump aide has “mild symptoms.”
O’Brien is the highest-ranking official in the Trump’s administration known to have tested positive for COVID-19.
“National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien has tested positive for COVID-19,” the White House statement said.
“He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site. There is no risk of exposure to the president or the vice-president. The work of the National Security Council continues uninterrupted,” it added.
Officials close to President Trump are regularly tested for COVID-19, which has infected over 4.13 million people and killed more than 146,000 people in the US.
A number of people in and around the administration have tested positive, including a military member who works as a White House valet, Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller, and a helicopter squadron Marine.

Press Trust of India