US State Dept spokesman tests Covid positive

US State Department spokesperson Ned Price announced that he has tested positive for Covid-19 and will quarantine for te next 10 days.

Taking to Twitter on Monday night, Price said: "After experiencing symptoms for the first time this morning, I tested positive for Covid-19 shortly thereafter, and will now quarantine for the next 10 days.

"I'm feeling under the weather but am grateful for the protection from severe illness offered by safe and effective vaccines."

Price participated in multiple meetings last week with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other State Department officials in New York on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly annual session, reports Xinhua news agency.

State Department deputy spokesperson Jalina Porter told reporters in a briefing that Blinken tested negative on Monday morning, and no other members of the travelling party were exhibiting Covid-19 symptoms.

She also suggested that foreign delegations would not be alerted given Price had not been in contact with any of them since September 23 and the risk of exposure likely started on September 25.