U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris tests negative for COVID-19 despite husband's infection

WASHINGTON, March 15 (Xinhua) -- U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris tested negative for COVID-19 on Tuesday despite her husband's infection with the virus, according to a spokesperson.

Second Gentleman Douglas Emhoff, 57, tested positive for COVID-19 earlier on Tuesday, the spokesperson said in a statement.

"The Vice President tested negative for COVID-19 today and will continue to test," the statement read.

Harris was scheduled to address an event at the White House on Tuesday evening but decided to skip it "out of an abundance of caution."

U.S. President Joe Biden, speaking to a group of audience gathering in the East Room, said that he was told Emhoff is "feeling very well."

A series of prominent political figures in the United States, including former President Barack Obama, has contracted the virus recently, as states and cities are lifting restrictions.

The United States reported more than 79 million COVID-19 infections and about 966,000 deaths as of Tuesday evening, according to Johns Hopkins University data.