Internal government memo reveals 34 coronavirus cases tied to White House in recent days, higher than previously known

An internal government memo distributed Wednesday among senior leadership at the Federal Emergency Management Agency and obtained by ABC News revealed that 34 "White House staffers and other contacts" have tested positive for the coronavirus in recent days. That figure is higher than the 24 cases among White House aides previously reported by ABC News.

It's unclear who exactly is counted among that group, but the number illustrates the scope of the growing outbreak within the Trump administration after President Trump himself tested positive last week.

ABC News notes that the higher number also strengthens speculation that the White House has attempted to downplay and "block information" about the virus' spread within its ranks. Read more at ABC News.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.