Azar tells Health Department staff his wife has COVID-19: ‘Mild symptoms but otherwise doing well’

Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar told his staff on Thursday evening that his wife had contracted the coronavirus and was suffering minor symptoms.

Azar informed his staff in an email that his wife Jennifer tested positive for the virus, according to Politico.

“Today, my family learned that my wife Jennifer has tested positive for Covid-19,” he wrote, adding that she had followed health guidelines and immediately quarantined at the onset of her symptoms.

Azar’s wife initially received a negative test result from an instant test she took, but later had her symptoms confirmed through a molecular test, Politico reported.

“I will be carrying out the duties of my office while strictly adhering to CDC guidelines for essential workers, continuing to practice social distancing, wearing a mask and monitoring for any symptoms,” Azar stated in the email. “In addition, I have been tested every day and will be tested every day until my exposure period has concluded.”

Several White House staffers and President Trump have tested positive for the virus in recent months. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo also recently announced that he would be quarantining after he came into contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

Pompeo said he tested negative for the coronavirus in October, soon after Trump and first lady Melania Trump announced they had tested positive.

The U.S. has reached 17,192,376 coronavirus cases and 310,424 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins.