Second gentleman Doug Emhoff tests positive for Covid-19

Vice president Kamala Harris remains negative for virus

The White House says that second gentleman Doug Emhoff has tested positive for Covid-19 but that vice president Kamala Harris remains negative for the virus.

“Earlier today, the Second Gentleman tested positive for Covid-19,” said Sabrina Singh, deputy press secretary for the Vice President.

“Out of an abundance of caution, the Vice President will not participate in tonight’s event. The Vice President tested negative for Covid-19 today and will continue to test.”

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Biden had tested negative for Covid-19 on Sunday.

Mr Biden and Ms Harris appeared together on Tuesday afternoon with lawmakers at an event to mark the signing of a $1.5 trillion government funding measure.

Mr Emhoff had earlier appeared at an outdoor event at a communal garden in Washington DC.

The vice president was set to participate in an Equal Pay Day event at the White House Tuesday evening that began just as Mr Emhoff’s test results were released.

The president addressed the positive test at the event, first telling the audience that the “first lady’s husband contracted Covid” before realising his mistake and chuckling.

“Kamala chose not to take a chance since he tested positive – by the way, he’s fine, but out of an abundance of caution, she decided not to join,” said Mr Biden.

The positive test comes after former president Barack Obama announced on Twitter over the weekend that he had Covid-19 but that Michelle Obama did not.

The US has seen 79.5m Covid-19 cases during the pandemic and 964,000 deaths.