RNC chair Ronna McDaniel and Senator Mike Lee test positive for coronavirus following Trump diagnosis

GOP official did not mention diagnosis during Fox News appearance this week

Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday and has experienced mild symptoms from Covid-19,. the organisation has confirmed.

A member of the GOP chief’s family had tested positive earlier this week, prompting her to get tested. She confirmed her diagnosis on Friday morning and has been isolating at home in Michigan since last Saturday, according to a statement from the RNC.

The statement follows Donald Trump’s announcement that the president, his wife Melania Trump and senior aide Hope Hicks have all tested positive for the disease.

Republican Senator Mike Lee also announced he has tested positive for the disease, at first believing he was experiencing allergy symptoms.

“Unlike the test I took just a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday's test came back positive,” he said in a statement on Friday. “On advice of the Senate attending physician, I will remain isolated for the next 10 days.”

He met with the president’s US Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett on Tuesday.

In a Twitter post late on Thursday night, the president announced that he had “tested positive for Covid-19” along with the First Lady.

“We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately," he said.

Two hours earlier, he confirmed that Ms Hicks had tested positive on Thursday, after she reported feeling ill as the president’s campaign returned to Washington DC from a Minnesota rally on Wednesday night.

The First Lady said: “As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.”

Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen reported testing negative on Friday morning, his press secretary announced.

Ms McDaniel appeared on Fox News on Thursday to discuss the 29 September debate between the president and Democratic candidate Joe Biden, but she did not mention her diagnosis.

She was last in contact with the president on 25 September, the RNC said. She has been at home since then.

In a message on social media on Friday, Ms McDaniel said she is praying for the Trumps.

She said: “Wishing @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump a speedy recovery. We are praying for you!”