White House press secretary Jen Psaki announced on Tuesday that she has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, CNN reports.
The announcement came less than one day before President Joe Biden is scheduled to depart for a trip to Brussels and Warsaw.
"Today, in preparation for travel to Europe, I took a PCR test this morning. That test came back positive, which means I will be adhering to CDC guidance and no longer be traveling on the President's trip to Europe," Psaki said in a White House statement.
She added she would work from home and return to working in person at the conclusion of a five-day isolation period and a negative COVID-19 test.
Biden, who Psaki had previously said tested negative for COVID-19 on Monday, also tested negative on Tuesday via a PCR test.
"I had two socially-distanced meetings with the President yesterday, and he is not considered a close contact as defined by CDC guidance. I am sharing the news of my positive test today out of an abundance of transparency," Psaki's statement said.
This marks the second time that Psaki has tested positive for the virus. She previously tested positive in late October. At the time she had mild symptoms and returned to work after a 10-day quarantine following a negative test.
White House principal deputy press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre will travel with Biden to Europe on Wednesday, replacing Psaki, a White House official told CNN.
White House deputy press secretary Chris Meagher stepped in to fill in for Psaki at the White House press briefing, thanking reporters for their "flexibility" with the "adjustments" as he kicked off the briefing.
Several high profile Americans have tested positive for COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic. Last week, US Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff tested positive for the virus. Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative.
In December, Harris tested negative for COVID-19 after she came in close contact with a staff member who had tested positive for the virus.