A member of the White House press corps who attended briefings this week has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Jon Karl, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, said in a note to members that the reporter was asymptomatic and wore a mask during the briefing and while in the White House complex. He wrote that the reporter attended briefings on Monday and Wednesday afternoons.
“We are contacting those who the individual recalled being in closer contact,” Karl wrote. “Other than the briefings, this person did not spend time working out of the White House and was only in the briefing room itself, not elsewhere in our workspace.” He did not disclose the name of the member.
Since March, the WHCA has limited the number of people who can attend the briefings, held in a small space in the West Wing, in an effort to try to limit potential exposure. Among other things, they have established a pool rotation of reporters to attend the briefings, which have become more frequent under Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
Almost all reporters have been wearing masks during the briefings, as well as events held outside in the Rose Garden. The WHCA also is advising members to try to work remotely, given the tight quarters of White House workspaces.