COVID-19 prompt US defense chief to delay foreign trips

By Servet Gunerigok

WASHINGTON (AA) - U.S. defense chief Mark Esper has delayed three overseas trips in an effort to lead the Pentagon's response to the coronavirus outbreak.

"Out of an abundance of caution, Secretary of Defense @EsperDOD has decided to postpone his travel to India, Uzbekistan, and Pakistan until a later date to remain in the U.S. to help manage the @DeptofDefense response to Coronavirus,” Pentagon spokeswoman Alyssa Farah said on Twitter.

There are seven people that officials suspect may have the virus and they are in the process of being tested, according to Air Force Brig. Gen. Paul Friedrichs. "There are two more active duty personnel who are presumptive positives.”

According to Johns Hopkins University, there are more than 760 infected cases in the U.S. and 27 people have died from the virus.

More than 116,000 people in more than 100 countries have tested positive for the virus known as COVID-19.