Journalist who joined Anthony Blinken on UK visit tests positive for Covid in Malaysia

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One of the journalists accompanying secretary of state Anthony Blinken on his trip to the UK and southeast Asia has tested positive for Covid-19.

The US State Department said the journalist tested positive in Malaysia on Wednesday.

Mr Blinken, his staff and all other members of the press corps tested negative for the coronavirus, the department said.

The unidentified journalist was part of a 12-member press corps travelling with Mr Blinken, said the State Department’s spokesperson Ned Price.

Malaysia’s foreign ministry spokesperson said the US embassy had informed them of the virus case and added that the journalist was self isolating.

“The person was not involved and has not participated in any of Secretary Blinken’s programmes in Kuala Lumpur,” said a statement from the US embassy in Kuala Lumpur, adding that “other close contacts had been re-tested with results all negative as of 12 hours ago.”

The embassy said it had informed the Malaysian government of the positive case. “The sole member of the travelling party who tested positive is observing all requirements of the Ministry of Health,” the embassy added.

Mr Blinken had a joint press conference with Malaysian foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah on Wednesday.

Mr Abdullah said the pair had a “very candid and fruitful discussion” in the morning and that this included “the latest Covid-19 situation and possible cooperation between both countries in entering the endemic phase [of the pandemic]”.

The State Department said it has been testing all those on Mr Blinken’s plane on a daily basis. The spokesperson said the journalist had tested negative in Liverpool – where Mr Blinken began his trip with a gathering of the G7 at the weekend – and in Indonesia’s Jakarta city.

The secretary of state reached Malaysia on Tuesday from Indonesia. He was scheduled to arrive in Thailand later on Wednesday.