Wild COVID-19 outbreak in Trump’s camp as campaign manager gets infected

Bill Stepien, campaign manager of US President Donald Trump, has tested positive for COVID-19.

This development comes after Trump was taken to Walter Reed Army Medical Centre for treatment.

Trump and his wife, Melania, tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday night after Hope Hicks, a White House aide close to the president, contracted the virus.

Stepien, 42-year-old, is experiencing mild flu-like symptoms and tested positive for the infection on Friday evening.

He took over as head of Trump’s presidential campaign in July, replacing Brad Parscale. Before taking over, he served as the campaign’s deputy manager.

Kellyanne Conway, a former White House advisor, also announced that she tested positive for COVID-19.

In a tweet, the ex-advisor said her symptoms are mild, and that she is in quarantine.

“Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians. As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic,” she tweeted.

Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians.

As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic. ❤️

— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) October 3, 2020

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Although the ex-counsellor no longer works at the White House, she attended a ceremony at the Rose Garden after Trump formally nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill in a supreme court seat.

Some other people who attended the event have tested positive for COVID-19.

They include Hicks, Mike Lee and Thom Tillis (senators), and John Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame University.

As the virus continues to spread further in Trump’s camp, Joe Biden, the Democratic presidential candidate, announced that he tested negative for the disease, alongside his wife.

After Trump announced his positive COVID-19 status, oil prices extended losses to about three percent.

Brent crude slipped on the Trump news and was down $1.12, or 2.7 percent, at $39.81 a barrel by 0710 GMT. U.S. Oil was also down $1.12, or 2.9%, at $37.60. US and Brent crude are heading for drops of around 5 percent and 6 percent, respectively, this week for a second consecutive week of declines.