Top U.S. health expert Anthony Fauci tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON, June 15 (Xinhua) -- Top U.S. health expert Anthony Fauci tested positive for COVID-19 on a rapid antigen test on Wednesday.

Fauci, director of the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), is "fully vaccinated and has been boosted twice" and "is currently experiencing mild symptoms," according to a statement.

"Dr. Fauci will isolate and continue to work from his home," the statement read, adding that he has not recently been in close contact with U.S. President Joe Biden or other senior government officials.

Fauci, 81, will follow the COVID-19 guidelines of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and medical advice from his physician and return to work when he tests negative.

Fauci has been the face of the U.S. fight against COVID-19 since the virus was detected in the country.

He has been the director of the NIAID since 1984 and has advised seven U.S. presidents.

Also chief medical advisor to Biden, Fauci is the latest member of the administration to have been infected with COVID-19.

The infection was made public only days after U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra tested positive for the virus, the second time for him in less than a month.

According to the latest data from Johns Hopkins University, the United States has reported nearly 86 million COVID-19 cases and over one million related deaths in total.