White House Security Official Hospitalized for Severe COVID-19

By Mary Anne R. Oct 09 2020, 01:43 AM EDT

Several White House officials, including people close to the Trump administration, had tested positive for COVID-19 after attending a Rose Garden event.

The White House security office head also contracted a severe case of COVID-19 and has been hospitalized because of the virus, according to an administration official familiar with the situation.

The security office head was Crede Bailey, responsible for handling certain security clearances and handling the credentials of people who come onto the White House grounds. Bailey was taken to the hospital in late September, according to the official.

The official believed Bailey's case is not related to the outbreak that started at the White House event honoring judge Amy Coney Barrett as President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee.

Barrett has been eyed to replace late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg's on the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the Marine Corps also announced the positive test of Gen. Gary L. Thomas. His case was revealed on Wednesday.

Thomas was among the group of military leaders who have been under quarantine after they were exposed to the virus during a visit to the White House on Sept. 27.

In this event, Gold Star families were also present. Trump and first lady Melania Trump also graced the occasion. A Gold Star family is the immediate family member of a fallen military member who died while serving in a time of conflict.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon announced that Admiral Charles Ray had also tested positive for COVID-19. Ray was vice commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard. He was also known to attend the White House reception, according to Defense Department officials.

Almost all members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff are now in quarantine in their homes or other locations after having contact with people who have tested positive.

White House Outbreak

Health experts raised concerns about the limited information of the Trump administration concerning tracing efforts. There were also comments about how the president downplayed the dangers of COVID-19.

Stephen Miller, a senior adviser and speechwriter for Trump, was the latest administration member to test positive for the COVID-19.

Miller is believed to be the 35th person to be infected over the past week. He was also among the seven people to join in Trump's Sept. 27 debate preparation.

The White House rejected the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's offer to help look at the outbreak.

"Some of those policies that we all live by in infection control as we're trying to contain this pandemic have not, at least by appearance, been followed in the White House and in the federal government," chief of the infectious diseases division at Massachusetts General Hospital, Rochelle Walensky, MD, MPH, said in a report.

Walensky, who also teaches medicine at Harvard Medical School, added that with little information they are getting, it is hard to understand whether people are being properly quarantined.

She also questioned whether people are appropriately isolated or if contract tracing is being done right.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, on the other hand, ignored questions about whether widespread testing should be done in the Capitol.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also said on Tuesday that most people who have tested positive did not get the virus in the Capitol.