保护总统、副总统及其家人的近十几名美国特勤局成员被冠状病毒袭击,其他几十名工作人员处于自我隔离状态。
特勤局在三月份证实,一名员工的COVID-19检测呈阳性。但根据雅虎新闻看到的美国国土安全部(DHS)的文件,也有报道称《今日美国》这种疾病的传播范围更广,该机构有11例活跃病例,23名工作人员康复,60人现在处于自我隔离状态。
在特勤局的7600名雇员中,有3000名特工与他们保护的人密切合作。目前还没有感染人数的细分,也没有他们是平民还是与美国政治领导人密切合作的特工。他们的位置也不得而知。
2019年10月11日,美国总统唐纳德·特朗普在路易斯安那州查尔斯湖演讲时,美国特勤局站在一旁观看。
在一份声明中,特勤局发言人贾丝汀·惠兰说:“为了保护我们员工健康信息的隐私和行动安全,特勤局不会公布有多少员工的COVID-19检测呈阳性,也不会公布有多少员工被隔离或目前被隔离。”
“自这场大流行开始以来,特勤局一直与我们所有的公共安全合作伙伴和白宫医疗单位合作,确保我们受保护人员和员工的安全。
“特勤局继续遵循疾控中心发布的指导方针,以确保我们的员工和他们接触到的人的健康和福利。”新闻周刊已经联系了特勤局进行评论。
这一消息是在有报道称这种疾病已经蔓延到白宫核心圈子的情况下披露的。
周五,白宫高级顾问斯蒂芬·米勒的妻子,新闻秘书凯蒂·米勒是副总统迈克·彭斯手下的一员,测试呈阳性治疗疾病。
前一天,白宫称特朗普的贴身男仆与总统有着密切的个人联系,也检测出病毒呈阳性。
特朗普和彭斯都定期接受病毒检测,但都没有检测出阳性,总统仍然不戴口罩参加会议和活动。特朗普表示,他将把每周测试的频率提高到每天一次。
上周,白宫副新闻秘书贾德·迪尔说,那些在总统身边工作的人正在接受病毒测试,任何进入白宫的人都要接受体温检查。
然而,据雅虎新闻报道,记者上周被带进椭圆形办公室,没有戴面具,也没有经过测试。新闻周刊已经联系了白宫进行评论。
下面的信息图由提供Statista,显示了截至5月8日确诊COVID-19病例最多的美国各州。
CORONAVIRUS HITS U.S. SECRET SERVICE STAFF WITH 11 ACTIVE CASES, 23 RECOVERIES AND 60 IN QUARANTINE
early a dozen members of the U.S. Secret Service protecting the president, the vice president and their families, have been struck by the coronavirus, with several dozen other staff members in self-quarantine.
The Secret Service confirmed in March that a single employee had tested positive for COVID-19. But according to Department of Homeland Security (DHS) documents seen by Yahoo News, and also reported by USA Today, the disease is much more widespread, with 11 active cases at the agency, 23 staff members recovered, and 60 now in self-isolation.
Of the Secret Service's 7,600 employees, there are 3,000 agents who work closely with those whom they protect. There has been no breakdown of infection numbers and whether they were civilians or agents working closely with U.S. political leaders. Their locations are also not known.
U.S. Secret Service stand watch as President Donald Trump speaks in Lake Charles, Louisiana, on October 11, 2019.
In a statement, Secret Service spokesperson Justine Whelan said: "To protect the privacy of our employee's health information and for operational security, the Secret Service is not releasing how many of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, nor how many of its employees were, or currently are, quarantined."
"Since the beginning of this pandemic, the Secret Service has been working with all of our public safety partners and the White House Medical Unit to ensure the safety and security of both our protected persons and our employees.
"The Secret Service continues to follow guidance issued by the CDC to ensure the health and welfare of our employees and those they come in contact with." Newsweek has contacted the Secret Service for comment.
The revelation comes amid reports that the disease has crept into to the White House's inner circle.
On Friday, the wife of senior White House adviser Stephen Miller, press secretary Katie Miller, who is part of Vice President Mike Pence's staff, tested positive for the disease.
The previous day, the White House said Trump's military valet, who had close personal contact with the president, had also tested positive for the virus.
Neither Trump nor Pence, who are regularly tested for the virus, have tested positive, with the president continuing to attend meetings and events without wearing a face mask. Trump said he would increase the frequency of his weekly testings to daily ones.
Last week, White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere said that those were working in proximity to the president were being tested for the virus and anyone entering the White House was subjected to temperature checks.
However reporters were brought into the Oval Office last week without masks and without being tested, according to Yahoo News. Newsweek has contacted the White House for comment.
The infographic below, provided by Statista, shows the U.S. states with the most confirmed COVID-19 cases, as of May 8.
Statista chart, U.S. states with most COVID-19 cases.