COVID cases may be dropping across the U.S., but the D.C. elite is facing a mini-surge of its own.
The big picture: Several White House officials and Congress members have tested positive in rapid succession in recent weeks.
Driving the news: Attorney General Merrick Garland and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, days after they attended the Gridiron Club dinner, a high-profile D.C. media event.
- Reps. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) and Joaquin Castro (D-Texas) also tested positive after attending the dinner on Saturday.
- Though Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) was not present at the event, she announced Wednesday that she had contracted the virus as well.
Worth noting: Politico reports that some members of the press who attended the Gridiron Club dinner have also tested positive for COVID, raising fears that the white-tie event caused an outbreak and sparking concerns about the upcoming White House Correspondents Association gathering.
- Other guests at the event included NIAID director Anthony Fauci, CDC director Rochelle Walensky and a slew of members of Congress, Cabinet secretaries and governors, per the Washington Post.
Editor's note: This story has been updated to include the attorney general's positive diagnosis.
