Coronavirus Update: Secret Service Employee Tests COVID-19 Positive As Tensions At Capitol Hill Heighten Over Package

The Secret Service confirmed in a statement on Sunday evening that an employee has tested positive of the COVID-19 strain. The news came amid ongoing negotiations for a trillion-dollar relief package that should help the country during the coronavirus outbreak.

According to CBS affiliate WJZ-TV, the Secret Service said they have kicked off the necessary contact tracing measures around the employee and they determined that the said worker has not had contact with other employees for almost three weeks.

The employee’s identity has not been revealed but the Secret Service said the COVID-19-positive staff is now undergoing quarantine and health monitoring.

News of the latest infection among government department workers came as U.S. senators continue to negotiate an economic stimulus package that should help Americans deal with the impact of the coronavirus situation.

The relief package was stopped midway over the weekend as Democrats refused to make a vote. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has since been adding pressure on Democrats who want more time to decide on their votes.

McConnell particularly slammed Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer’s move of objecting the relief package, CNN reported. For McConnell, an agreement should be revealed soon as markets continue to plunge while waiting for the Senate to settle down.

Senate Democrats, on the other hand, argued that the stimulus package leans on prioritizing corporate industry over Americans in the workforce. Republicans, on the other hand, accused Democrat senators of stalling the vote.

Both sides have been saying they want to pass a bill as soon as possible but some people have been calling on the government to hasten the process of passing the package.

The new COVID-19 case at the U.S. Secret Service came hours after Senator Rand Paul’s office confirmed that he tested positive of the novel virus that has killed thousands around the world.

According to USA Today, Paul’s office revealed that the Kentucky senator is under quarantine. Furthermore, a couple of Republican lawmakers announced that they will self-quarantine following Paul’s positive COVID-19 test.

Paul’s deputy chief of staff Sergio Gor explained that Paul has become a “high-risk” patient due to a lung surgery he had to undergo in 2017. Some people have since expressed their concerns about Paul still interacting with people on the day he tested positive.