Second White House Staff Tests Positive For COVID-19; Trump, Pence in Danger

The probability either president Donald Trump or vice president Mike Pence might have been infected with the COVID-19 coronavirus has risen significantly after a second person working at the White House tested positive for the coronavirus in just three days.

More worrisome is news the White House might be developing into a COVID-19 hotspot because Trump and Pence still refuse to wear facemasks, as do most of the Republicans that are part of the White House staff. Trump, however, continues to claim all the White House staff are tested daily for the presence of SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2), the coronavirus that causes COVID-19

On Friday, the White House confirmed Katie Miller, Pence's press secretary who's also responsible for the press relations of the coronavirus task force, tested positive for SARS-CoV-2. She had tested negative the day before using the "Abbott ID Now" rapid coronavirus test system. This system, however, has been criticized before for its high 15% "false negative rate." This means some 15% of patients will be told they're negative for COVID-19 when they're in fact positive.

Miller, who is often in close contact with Pence due to the nature of her work, is expected to self-quarantine, as is her husband Stephen Miller. Her husband is Trump's immigration adviser and plays a key role in developing the administration's racist and anti-immigrant policies.

"Katie, she tested very good for a long period of time and then all of a sudden today she tested positive," said Trump Friday.

He claims he hasn't personally been in contact with Miller but said she spends her time with Pence.

"I understand Mike has been tested...and he tested negative," said Trump. Pence was tested on the Abbott ID Now system, which is widely used to test people entering the White House.

The stunning news of a second coronavirus infection came only a day after it was revealed one of Trump's presidential valets from the U.S. had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2.

On Thursday, it was revealed one of Trump's two presidential valets that attend to his personal and sartorial needs is positive for SARS-CoV-2. This soldier, who hasn't been identified, was taken sick Wednesday.

U.S. presidential valets are specially selected members of the U.S. military that play a role somewhat similar to those of butlers in the United Kingdom. Valets, however, are mostly concerned with their employers' clothes and appearance.  But since Trump is known to only prefer ill-fitting baggy suits to hide his obesity, it's hard to say what influence, if any, his presidential valets have on his sartorial style.

Trump was enraged at the news about his infected valet. He's said to have scolded White House staff for not doing enough to protect him from the coronavirus, which remains the most dangerous health problem facing the U.S. Trump is being widely blamed for worsening the severity of the pandemic due to his indecisiveness and inaction in confronting the reality of the virus in February and March.