Washington, October 6: Top brass of the United States military would be quarantining for the next few days due to a possible COVID-19 exposure. Those who would remain in isolation includes General Mark Milley and other senior defence officials. The development comes merely six days after President Donald Trump was confirmed to have contracted coronavirus. Facebook, Twitter Removes Donald Trump Post Saying COVID-19 Is Less Lethal The Flu.

Apart from Milley, other top military leaders who would be working from home for the next days include US Air Force Chief of Staff Charles Brown, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Michael Gilday, and the Chief of Space Operations, General John Raymond, CNN reported.

CyberCom Commander General Paul M. Nakasone, Space Force Chief General John W Raymond and the Chief of the National Guard, General Daniel R Hokanson, are also under self-quarantine, CBS reported.

The officials are compelled to quarantine themselves as a Coast Guard official who attended the recent Pentagon meeting was diagnosed COVID-19. The official, Vice Commandant of the US Coast Guard, Admiral Charles Ray, tested positive today after he began experiencing mild symptoms over the weekend.

According to the Wall Street Journal, none of the Joint Chiefs of the armed forces tested positive, whereas, Milley was found to be negative for COVID-19 in the tests conducted on Tuesday.

The Coast Guard, meanwhile, issued a statement to confirm that Admiral Ray has been diagnosed with the contagious disease. A contact-tracing process is underway to minimise the chances of virus transmission, it said.

"The Coast Guard is following established policies for Covid, per CDC guidelines, to include quarantine and contact tracing. According to CDC guidelines, any Coast Guard personnel that were in close contact will also quarantine. In accordance with established Coast Guard COVID policies, Admiral Ray will be quarantining from home," the statement read.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 06, 2020 11:53 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).