How COVID-19 upended Blinken’s diplomatic mission

By MATTHEW LEE
AP Diplomatic Writer

HONOLULU, Hawaii (AP) — The global surge in coronavirus infections wreaked havoc with Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s round-the-world diplomatic journey last week. At least three people on board his military plane tested positive for COVID-19 during the trip, which started in Liverpool, England, and ended abruptly after stops in Dubai, Jakarta and Kuala Lumpur. The positive cases forced a frantic re-evaluation of Blinken’s itinerary, which was cut short and re-routed through Guam to return to U.S. territory as soon as possible to avoid mandatory quarantines for others who might have been infected. The Air Force confirmed Saturday that two members of the crew on Blinken’s plane had tested positive. The other was a journalist who was part of the travelling press corps.