The White House Correspondents’ Association announced that a member who visited the White House last week has a “suspected case” of the coronavirus.
“We have been informed that one of our colleagues has a suspected case of COVID-19,” the association said in an email to members on Monday. “The individual was at the White House on March 9, 11, 16 and 18.”
It continued, “We encourage all journalists who were at the White House during that time period to review public health guidance, consult their medical professionals and take the appropriate next steps.”
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An unnamed White House reporter has “a suspected case of COVID-19,” according to an email just sent by White House Correspondents’ Association president @jonkarl pic.twitter.com/lPdD3hBH83
— Niall Stanage (@NiallStanage) March 23, 2020
The association noted that it had alerted the heads of news agencies, as well as the White House physician, about the situation. The group urged members of the press to report any testing or illnesses to the association moving forward.
“As we have said since this crisis began, our priority is to ensure that we can maintain a healthy pool to provide coverage of the president,” the association wrote, later adding, “Please DO NOT come into the White House if you are feeling at all ill.”
Reporters were asked not to enter the White House unless they have an assigned seat in the briefing room that day. The White House had already been measuring the temperature of reporters as they entered the property.
The association recently announced that it would be postponing its annual White House Correspondents’ Association dinner because of the virus.
