WH: Blinken Bangkok visit cut due to COVID case

A positive COVID-19 test among U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken's traveling party has cut short the top diplomat's first official tour of Southeast Asia.

A member of the press corps accompanying Blinken on what was to have been a three-nation visit to Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday in Kuala Lumpur, forcing Blinken to abandon the program at his next and last stop in Bangkok, and return to the United States.

Instead of spending Wednesday night in Bangkok, Blinken flew to the Thai capital for a brief logistical layover before traveling to Guam to refuel and then continuing on to Hawaii. At the airport in Bangkok, at least two Thai ground crew members were seen wearing full protective gear as they serviced Blinken's plane.

The abrupt change in plans was caused in part by fears that others in the delegation might also test positive, requiring them to quarantine in Thailand over the Christmas holiday.

Deputy White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters during a gaggle aboard Air Force One Wednesday that Blinken spoke with Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to explain the change of plans.

"The secretary expressed his deep regret to the foreign minister that he would not be able to visit Bangkok this week," Jean-Pierre said.

"He explained that in order to mitigate the risk of the spread of COVID-19 and to prioritize the health and safety of the U.S. traveling party, and those and those they would otherwise come into contact with, the secretary would be returning to Washington, D.C. out of abundance of caution," she added.

Jean-Pierre said Blinken 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."

The journalist who tested positive will stay in Kuala Lumpur for a mandatory 10-day isolation.

IMAGE: AP