Beyza Binnur Dönmez
March 23, 2020•Update: March 23, 2020
ANKARA
The U.S. Secret Service announced on Monday that one of its employees has tested positive for the COVID-19 or the novel coronavirus.
"A U.S. Secret Service employee has tested for COVID-19. The employee is currently in quarantine," the agency said in a statement, adding the worker's condition is being monitored.
As a result of the agency's contact trace assessment, it "determined that the employee has not had contact with any other Secret Service employee or protectee for nearly three weeks," the statement read.
The agency, which provides an innermost security ring for President Donald Trump and his family, among other high-ranking U.S. officials, reiterated its commitment to the safety of its employees and the public.
The agency added that it was strictly following guidelines issued by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
The diagnosis came a day after the Senate failed to pass a $1.4 trillion coronavirus stimulus package on Sunday.
The package aimed to boost economy affected by shutdowns and quarantines was blocked by Senate Democrats, as talks on several key provisions remain stalled.
Senators voted 47-47 on advancing a shell bill – a legislative instrument in the U.S. statute book with little or no substantive language. Such bills are intended to serve as a placeholder for legislative proposals to be filled in later.
Meanwhile, Trump announced federal aid for New York, Washington, and California in their efforts to combat the coronavirus.
Trump declared a national emergency on March 13 and signed a multibillion-dollar emergency aid package, estimated at $105 billion, to stem the spread of the virus.
The package includes free COVID-19 testing and paid family and sick leave for many Americans who otherwise lack such benefits.
According to John Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the U.S. has so far reported over 35,200 COVID-19 cases with 471 deaths.
The World Health Organization declared the outbreak a pandemic.
The virus is not fatal in all cases and a vast majority of patients have fully recovered.
