United States Secretary of State Blinken tests positive for Covid has mild symptoms

US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday afternoon after showing early symptoms, the State Department said. Blinken, who has been fully vaccinated and boosted against the coronavirus, has only "mild" signs, the department said. He added that the top US diplomat is not considered a close liaison with Biden.

White House spokeswoman Jen Psaki told the president tested negative for Covid on Tuesday. Blinken's diagnosis comes eight days after Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive for the coronavirus.

The foreign minister met with Sweden's Foreign Minister Ann Linde ahead of the positive test on Wednesday; On Tuesday, he met Mexican Foreign Minister Marcelo Ebrard.

"We are notifying those who have had close contact with him and are following [Federal Health Agency] guidance," State Department spokesman Ned Price told reporters.

Blinken and his wife, Evan Ryan, forth with Biden, attended dinner at the White House Correspondents Association in Washington. About 2,600 people attended, including high-ranking journalists and government officials. Participants must have been vaccinated or tested negative for Covid.

Blinken also his wife were guests of NBCUniversal, a news parent company, for the event. A news spokesperson declined to comment on the diagnosis.

Ryan is the White House Cabinet Secretary and acts as a liaison between Biden and the US departments and agencies, whose leaders make up the President's Cabinet.

Blinken "is being quarantined at home; he will be following [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] guidelines," said Price, who attended the White House, Correspondents Gala. "I know he is looking forward to getting back to the office, back into his busy schedule, also back on the road as soon as possible."

Before receiving a positive Covid test result via a PCR test, Blinken had to speak at the Kuwait embassy in Washington about an event organized by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees.

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said Wednesday that a Department of Defense official who attended the reporters' dinner had not tested positive for Covid. In addition to Kirby, US Space Force General John Raymond was also present.