The entire Joint Chiefs of Staff is in quarantine after the vice commandant of the Coast Guard tested positive for coronavirus.
Admiral Charles Ray started feeling unwell Friday after attending a meeting with the Joint Chiefs. He tested positive yesterday.
“We are aware that Vice Commandant Ray has tested positive for COVID-19 and that he was at the Pentagon last week for meetings with other senior military leaders. Some meeting attendees included other Service Chiefs. We are conducting additional contact tracing and taking appropriate precautions to protect the force and the mission. Out of an abundance of caution, all potential close contacts from these meetings are self-quarantining and have been tested this morning. No Pentagon contacts have exhibited symptoms and we have no additional positive tests to report at this time. There is no change to the operational readiness or mission capability of the U.S. Armed Forces. Senior military leaders are able to remain fully mission capable and perform their duties from an alternative work location. DoD has been following CDC guidelines since April with respect to temperature testing, social distancing, and the wearing of masks to the greatest extent when social distancing is not possible and will continue to do so. The entire Department of Defense wishes Admiral Ray well on his way to a swift recovery.”
Statement by Jonathan Hoffman, Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Public Affairs:
See also: Brennan Notes Declassified
As of today, those exposed have tested negative for the WuFlu, and are quarantining as a precautionary measure.