US Secret Service Agents Reportedly Contracted COVID-19 Ahead of Pence’s Arizona Visit

Vice President Mike Pence’s trip this week was delayed after multiple U.S. Secret Service agents showed signs of COVID-19, according to reports.

Pence’s trip was delayed a day to Arizona, where he ended up traveling on July 1 instead of June 30. According to reports, Secret Service agents who helped to plan the trip “either tested positive for the coronavirus or were showing symptoms of being infected.”

There was at least one agent who reportedly tested positive for coronavirus while others were showing symptoms of the virus. And, as The Washington Post notes from an official, roughly eight to 10 agents and officers were showing symptoms of the illness.

Two anonymous senior officials said that the delay was so that there could be healthy agents on the trip.

Pence’s spokesman Devin O’Malley told the Post:

“Instead of highlighting Vice President Pence’s concerted effort with Task Force members to visit and support states with new cases, The Washington Post is choosing to use its pages to report on a story of little use to every day Americans attempting to learn more about how coronavirus affects them or the Administration’s response efforts.”

During Pence’s trip to Arizona on Wednesday, he told Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey (R), “We’re here to help.”

Pence’s trip to the state came as Arizona saw a single-day high