US secretary of state tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, a State Department spokesman said.

Blinken tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday afternoon via a PCR test, Ned Price, the spokesman, said in a statement.

Blinken was fully vaccinated and boosted against the virus, and "is experiencing only mild symptoms," he said.

Price said that in accordance with the guidance of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and in consultation with the State Department's Bureau of Medical Services, Blinken "will isolate at home and maintain a virtual work schedule."

According to Price, Blinken has not seen US President Joe Biden in person for several days.

Blinken was originally scheduled to deliver a speech on US strategy toward China at George Washington University in Washington, DC, on Thursday. It's not clear whether, or in what ways, changes will be made regarding the arrangement of the event.