March 17 (UPI) -- Irish Prime Minister Micheal Martin has tested positive for COVID-19 and learned of his diagnosis late Wednesday while attending an event with President Joe Biden and other members of Congress in Washington, D.C.
White House officials said Martin was not in close contact with Biden -- a distance described by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as within 6 feet -- during the Ireland Funds Gala charity event at the National Building Museum.
Martin, who was scheduled to participate in bilateral meetings with Biden on Thursday, was seated at the event next to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
Later during the event, Pelosi announced that Martin had to leave and U.S. Ambassador to Ireland Daniel Mulhall broke the news to those in attendance afterward that Martin had tested positive.
Martin and Biden were scheduled to deliver remarks at the Annual Friends of Ireland Luncheon at the U.S. Capitol on Thursday and participate in a shamrock presentation at the White House. Those events will still take place, according to the White House schedule.
The visit to Washington, D.C., was supposed to include Martin's first official meeting with Biden as president. A trip last year was canceled due to COVID-19. Martin is scheduled to rotate out as Ireland's prime minister in December.
Martin's diagnosis came one day after the White House announced that second gentleman Doug Emhoff had also tested positive for COVID-19.