The U.S. President Donald Trump's valet, who is also a U.S. Navy member, is reportedly infected with the new coronavirus. 

The White House revealed Trump was notified of the valet's test results on Wednesday. He and Vice President Mike Pence were once again tested for the virus and have remained in good health. 

The valet is the second White House staffer that tested positive for the pandemic. In March, Washington reported the first case of coronavirus infecting a person with proximity to the president. The patient was a Pence staffer.

Several other people were also infected with the virus after they visited Trump's private Florida club in early March. 

The White House imposed safety protocols nearly eight weeks ago. It required all visitors and staffers to undergo frequent temperature checks. It also began administering rapid COVID-19 tests from Abbott Labs to everyone who comes into close contact with the president. 


Very Little Contact

The valet, who has remained unnamed, was responsible for serving the president's meals, taking care of his wardrobe, and traveling with him. His tasks and proximity to the president earned concerns over the American leader's health condition. 

Trump claimed he had minimal personal contact with the valet despite military personnel's assigned tasks. 

He also said the internal White House policy on testing has changed. The president and all employees will now be tested once a day. He revealed he was tested on Wednesday and Thursday-the day of and after the valet was confirmed positive-and said the results came out negative. 

He also said his wife, Melania, and his son, Barron, are in good shape. 


Essential

Early guidelines released by federal health agencies the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the World Health Organization recommended a two-week self-isolation if a person has contact with a COVID-19 infected individual. 

Trump, however, refused to observe quarantine, citing he is 'essential.' He said essential workers are 'immune' to the virus and are exempted from the need to isolate themselves during the possible incubation period. 

Vice President Mike Pence said he assured all possible countermeasures, including aggressive testing, are in place to prevent Trump and other staff from contracting the disease. He se said, keeping the essential work moving forward is their priority moving forward.

The valet is part of an elite group of officers who were assigned only to serve the president. The enlisted servicemen would often bring Trump his favorite diet coke and make sure his suits are pressed.

They are also tasked with bringing a go-bag containing essential items for a trip, including Trump's favorite snack. It also includes Trump's sanitizer-a product he is known to have a preference for.  

White House aides forgo wearing face masks while working or attending events with the president. Social distancing protocols are almost impossible to maintain in the tight office space. 

As of Friday, the United States has a total tally of 1,292,623 coronavirus cases and more than 76,920 fatalities. 


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