WASHINGTON (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 20th November, 2020) The US Department of Defense (DoD) says it is testing staff members, who had contacts with the Lithuanian delegation headed by Defense Minister Raimundas Karoblis as the latter tested positive for COVID-19.
Earlier this week, the Lithuanian delegation concluded the visit to the United States, with Karoblis having visited the Pentagon and met among others Anthony Tata, performing the duties of the undersecretary of defense for policy, on November 13. After that, both Karoblis and Tata have tested positive for the coronavirus.
"We have and are continuing to conduct further contact tracing of DoD personnel who have had close contact with the Lithuanian delegation or Mr. Tata, and are taking appropriate precautions in accordance with CDC guidelines.� Additionally, DoD personnel who had contact with the delegation have received or are receiving at this time rapid COVID tests as deemed necessary based on CDC protocols.� Additional necessary testing for individuals who had contact with Mr. Tata is ongoing. We will report additional positive cases as appropriate," the Pentagon said in a statement on late Thursday.
The Department of Defense also expressed hope that both Karoblis and Tata would recover soon.
The World Health Organization declared the COVID-19 outbreak a pandemic on March 11. To date, more than 56.8 million people have been infected with the coronavirus worldwide, with over 1.35 million fatalities, according to Johns Hopkins University.
