White House staffers urged to stay home if they show Covid-19 symptoms

In an email sent on Sunday, the White House Management office directed members of the White House staff to "immediately contact your primary care provider" and "inform their supervisors" if they exhibited any Covid-19 symptom, reports The Hill news website.

"If you or your colleagues believe that you should be practicing telework, or have questions about your ability to do so, please contact your supervisor," it further said.

The email came after President Donald Trump on October 2 announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for Covid-19.

He is currently hospitalised at the Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, while Melania Trump was at the White House.

Over the subsequent days there were multiple additional reports of positive tests on people who were related to the White House or to White House visits or events.

They include Trump aide Hope Hicks; Republican Senators Thom Tillis, Mike Lee, and Ron Johnson; former White House counsellor Kellyanne Conway; former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie; Trump's 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien; Republican Party Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel; and University of Notre Dame president John I. Jenkins.