WASHINGTON, May 11 — US Vice President Mike Pence is self-isolating away from the White House after an aide was diagnosed with the coronavirus, a Bloomberg reporter tweeted yesterday.

Pence has repeatedly tested negative, including yesterday, for Covid-19, the respiratory disease caused by the novel coronavirus, the tweet added.

President Donald Trump told reporters on Friday that Pence's spokeswoman, Katie Miller, had tested positive for the virus, a day after news that Trump’s personal valet also had tested positive.

Trump said he himself had not been in contact with the spokeswoman, who is married to White House senior advisoe Stephen Miller, but that she had spent time with the vice president.

Both Trump and Pence have drawn criticism for not donning face coverings despite a recommendation from the US Centers for Disease Control to do so in certain public settings.

Trump himself has said he would not wear a mask and has not publicly worn one to any of his events amid the pandemic, but told reporters last week he tried some on behind the scenes during his visit to a Honeywell International Inc face mask factory in Arizona.

Three senior officials guiding the US response to the coronavirus pandemic also were in self-quarantine on Saturday after coming into contact with someone who had tested positive for the disease, their agencies and spokesmen said. — Reuters