Ireland’s prime minister tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday before he interacted with President Joe Biden at a Washington gala.
Biden briefly interacted with the prime minister, Micheál Martin, at the Ireland Funds Gala, where both leaders were masked, a source familiar with the situation said.
Their interaction did not meet the 15-minute close contact definition, the source said.
Martin left the event after the positive Covid test was returned and is not experiencing symptoms, the source said.
A spokesman for the prime minister told Reuters that Martin received a positive PCR test.
Biden, who has Irish roots, spoke onstage Wednesday for around 15 minutes, according to video and a press pool report.
Martin was among several hundred people at Wednesday’s event. He had been scheduled to participate in several events with Biden on Thursday, St. Patrick’s Day. They include a bilateral meeting, a Friends of Ireland luncheon and a shamrock presentation at the White House, according to Biden’s public schedule for Thursday.
On Tuesday, the husband of Vice President Kamala Harris, second gentleman Doug Emhoff, tested positive for Covid.
Harris tested negative Tuesday, her office said.
Biden, 79, tested negative for the virus Sunday, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said at a briefing this week.
