HUD Secretary Ben Carson Tests Positive For Coronavirus

On Monday, a spokesman told CNBC that Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson has tested positive for coronavirus.

Dr. Carson, 69, tested positive less than a week after it was announced that President Donald Trump’s Chief of Staff, Mark Meadows, tested positive for the virus. Bloomberg first reported Meadows’ diagnosis on Friday.

On the night of the election, an in-person, indoor event was held at the White House, and both Dr. Carson and Meadows were in attendance. Subsequently, four other staffers have tested positive for COVID-19 since the party.

CNBC reports that according to HUD deputy chief of staff Coalter Baker, Dr. Carson “is in good spirits and feels fortunate to have access to effective therapeutics which aid and markedly speed his recovery.” 

He tested positive Monday morning at Walter Reed Medical Center after experiencing symptoms. He is no longer at the hospital and is home resting.

Dr. Carson, a retired neurosurgeon, is a member of the White House coronavirus taskforce. He has been spotted at several events leading up to the election without wearing a facemask, including Trump’s campaign rally in Waterford Township, Michigan, on October 30.

On Monday, the United States surpassed 10 million cases. More than 237,000 Americans have died from the virus.