Health Secretary Xavier Becerra tests positive for coronavirus, second time in less than a month

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Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra, for the second time in less than a month, has tested positive for COVID-19. 

HHS spokeswoman Sarah Lovenheim said Monday Becerra had tested positive for COVID-19 after taking an antigen test.

Xavier Becerra, secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS), during the CEO Summit of the Americas hosted by the US Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles, California, US, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. (Kyle Grillot/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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

Becerra previously tested positive for COVID on May 18 as he was planning to meet with other health ministers from other G7 countries in Germany. 

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Becerra participated in last week’s Summit of the Americas held in Los Angeles. President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were also in attendance though the HHS said he "is not considered a close contact of (Biden and Harris) as defined by the CDC." 

"The Secretary remains engaged with the duties of his office from isolation, and is eager to return to in-person meetings, as quickly as possible," HHS said. 

Becerra is one of many people in the president’s orbit to have tested positive for COVID-19. 

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White House Domestic Policy Adviser Susan Rice tested positive last month, while several other members of the president's cabinet and staff – including Secretary of State Antony Blinken, White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield, Vice President Kamala Harris, U.S. Army Chief of Staff Gen. James C. McConville, and Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack – have tested positive in recent weeks. 

Fox News’ Paul Best contributed to this report.