U.S. health secretary tests positive for COVID-19, 2nd time in a month

WASHINGTON, June 13 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday, the second time for him in less than a month.

Becerra took an antigen test in Sacramento, California in the morning and the result was positive, according to HHS spokesperson Sarah Lovenheim.

"He is fully vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19, and is experiencing mild symptoms," Lovenheim said in a statement. "He will continue to perform his duties as HHS Secretary, working in isolation."

Becerra, 64, previously tested positive for COVID-19 in mid-May on a trip to Berlin.

Last week, Becerra was in Los Angeles, California to attend the controversial Summit of the Americas hosted by the United States with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

The HHS said Becerra is not considered a close contact of either Biden or Harris as defined by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The United States has reported more than 85 million COVID-19 cases and over 1 million related deaths in total, according to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University.