The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has confirmed its Executive Director Rick Cotton has tested positive for coronavirus and is currently in self-isolation.
Thee announcement comes after New York Governor Andrew Cuomo was widely quoted in US national media saying Cotton had caught the virus.
According to CNN and CNBC, Cuomo revealed the news at a press briefing. He was also quoted as saying that the team of senior officials who closely with Cotton will be tested for coronavirus and that several will be in quarantined.
In a statement, the Port Authority said Cotton was “asymptomatic” and has “self-quarantined” while continuing to work.
“Any staff members who have had close contact with him (Cotton) in recent days are also working from home as they follow the guidelines and protocols put in place by the New York State Department of Health,” the statement read.
Approximately 500 people in the US have so far tested positive for coronavirus, 106 of which have been in or near New York.
The virus, which originated in Wuhan, China, has, as of 10 March 2020, killed approximately 3,800 people worldwide.
It has also caused congestion and delay in many of the world’s largest ports, including Los Angeles and Long Beach, the two busiest in the US.
