Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack revealed Saturday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus after his attendance last week at the annual Gridiron Club dinner.
A total of 53 people had reported positive COVID test results to the Gridiron Club after the organization's annual dinner as of Friday.
"I tested positive for COVID," Vilsack tweeted Saturday afternoon. "I'm both vaccinated and boosted and thankfully my symptoms are mild. If you have yet to get vaccinated and boosted, please don’t wait."
Attorney General Merrick Garland, Vice President Kamala Harris' communications director Jamal Simmons, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo and Democratic Reps. Adam Schiff (CA) and Joaquin Castro (TX) were among those at the dinner to also test positive for COVID.
Officials who attended the dinner but have not reported a positive test result include White House chief medical adviser Anthony Fauci, White House press secretary Jen Psaki, special presidential envoy John Kerry and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky.
A number of other lawmakers have also been infected with the coronavirus this week, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA), and Sens. Susan Collins (R-ME), and Raphael Warnock (D-GA).
Pelosi was in close proximity to President Joe Biden and even kissed the commander-in-chief on the cheek during a White House event on Wednesday, just one day before the Speaker tested positive for the virus. But the White House dismissed concerns that Biden was at risk of contracting COVID.
Last month, Psaki, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and former President Barack Obama all tested positive for the coronavirus.
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