Last Updated : Oct 08, 2020 10:59 AM IST | Source: Moneycontrol.com

White House security official is gravely ill with COVID-19

The official has been hospitalised since September

Crede Baily, a top White House security official, is gravely ill with COVID-19. Bailey has been hospitalised since September, as per a report by Bloomberg News on October 7.

The report cited four sources with knowledge of the matter. Moneycontrol could not independently verify the report.

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The news comes even as another aide of United States President Donald Trump, Stephen Miller, tested positive for COVID-19 on October 6. Miller is top speechwriter and Trump's policy adviser. His positive result took the number of White House staffers infected by the deadly virus to at least 10.

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A vaccine works by mimicking a natural infection. A vaccine not only induces immune response to protect people from any future COVID-19 infection, but also helps quickly build herd immunity to put an end to the pandemic. Herd immunity occurs when a sufficient percentage of a population becomes immune to a disease, making the spread of disease from person to person unlikely. The good news is that SARS-CoV-2 virus has been fairly stable, which increases the viability of a vaccine.

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"Over the last five days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine," Miller said in a statement.

A growing number of White House staff and senior Republicans have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since Trump revealed he had contracted the respiratory disease.

Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19 on October 2, soon after it was known that their close aide Hope Hicks contracted the infection. Trump was admitted to a military hospital on October 2 and was discharged on October 5.

White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany also tested positive.

The long list also includes former governor and close associate Chris Christie, former advisor Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager Bill Stepien, Jayna McCarron, one of the president's military aides, White House press office staffer Chad Gilmartin, White House communications aide, Karoline Leavitt, among others.

Additionally, at least three journalists working at the White House tested positive for the infection.

On October 6, the White House issued an updated guideline on health and safety of the residence staff.

Follow our full COVID-19 coverage here
First Published on Oct 8, 2020 10:19 am