Army chief of staff tests positive for COVID-19

Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville tested positive for COVID-19 over the weekend, the service revealed Monday. 

McConville, 63, tested positive for the virus on Sunday after experiencing “very mild symptoms similar to seasonal allergies,” the Army said in a statement.  

“He is currently working remotely while adhering to all [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] protocols,” according to the statement. 

The four-star general is fully vaccinated and has received two COVID-19 boosters, the Army noted. 

The Biden administration and Congress has dealt with a spate of recent positive tests, including Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, Attorney General Merrick Garland, Vice President Harris’s communications director Jamal Simmons, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) among dozens of others.  

McConville’s diagnosis also comes after several congressional lawmakers and administration officials tested positive for the virus after attending the annual Gridiron Club dinner earlier this month. 

The outbreaks have prompted questions about whether leaders in Washington should continue to hold indoor events with large crowds. 

The Army statement did not note McConville’s whereabout before he tested positive, though the Army chief of staff was traveling in Europe last week.