After several hours of not providing any information, the defense official told CNN, “No one with the secretary has tested positive, and neither the secretary nor the traveling party has been exposed.”
The two officers said the man helped arrange Asper’s journey. Officials added that members of the delegation traveling with the secretary have been briefed on the matter.
A defense official told CNN the employee was on the advance team for the trip and did not come in contact with Asper or Pentagon staff traveling with him.
The person will be re-tested under standard protocol. No details have been learned as to whether CNNA has undergone further testing.
The Pentagon did not immediately respond to a request for comment by CNN.
Officials said the secretary’s U.S. It is also not clear how the situation will affect travel plans for return.
Asper began its Indo-Pacific voyage last week, which included stops in Hawaii and Palau. The Secretary is currently in Guam and members of his delegation have been informed of the positive outcome.
Guam currently has more than 1,200 confirmed coronavirus cases, and according to Johns Hopkins University, nine people have died from the virus so far.
Multiple Secret Service agents and campaign workers also tested positive after being infected while preparing for the President’s Tulsa campaign rally in June. In addition, Katie Miller, communications director of Vice President Mike Pence, tested positive for coronavirus in May, and tested positive in the president’s personal vets earlier that month.
The story has been updated to include a defense officer’s comment and additional background information.
CNN’s Dewan Cole, Caitlan Collins, Kevin Liptak and Betsy Klein contributed to the report.
.
