Antony Blinken to cut short Asia trip and return to DC over reporter's Covid diagnosis
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The US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, announced on Wednesday that he was cutting short a diplomatic trip to Southeast Asia and returning to the US out of an “abundance of caution” after a reporter in his entourage tested positive for Covid-19.
Mr Blinken was traveling in the region to meet with officials in Indonesia, Malaysia, and Thailand, but decided to end the trip instead of meeting with officials in Thailand; a statement from the secretary’s spokesperson indicated that as a result, Mr Blinken had invited the Thai foreign minister to Washington.
"The secretary extended an invitation for the foreign minister to visit Washington, D.C. at the earliest opportunity and noted that he looked forward to traveling to Thailand as soon as possible," Ned Price said. "They affirmed that they would use the upcoming engagements to further deepen the US-Thai alliance."
The unnamed journalist whose positive Covid-19 diagnosis ended Mr Blinken’s southeast Asia swing will remain in isolation in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, until their symptoms subside according to the State Department.
As part of his trip, Mr Blinken was set to discuss with Thai officials how the US and Thailand can work towards “post-pandemic economic recovery, and addressing the climate crisis”.
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Journalist on Blinken trip to Asia tests positive for virus
