COVID-19: Many soldiers deployed for President Biden's inauguration tests positive

U.S. officials stated on Friday that over 150-200 guards deployed in Washington D.C. for President Joe Bidens' inauguration ceremony have tested positive for the novel coronavirus. After a deadly mass carried on the Capitol by supporters of former President Donald Trump by the U.S. Government, over 25,000 armed guards were deployed across Washington D.C.

After the attack, the city took unprecedented security measures, including razor wire and fences with checkpoints operated by the National Guard.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, the official said the number of National Guard soldiers who tested positive is expected to increase, but there were a small fraction of the more than 25,000 troops posted in the city in the last few days.

According to a Reuters analysis of public health data on Thursday for the second consecutive day from COVID-19, the United States reported more than 4,000, bringing the cumulative number of U.S. lives to about 410,000 lives.

The National Guard said in a statement that it would not discuss coronavirus cases, but personnel is currently following disease control and prevention guidelines, including temperature checks, when they left their home state and arrived in the city with a screening questionnaire.

The military has said arrangements are being made for thousands of soldiers to return home, and another 15,000 are expected to leave Washington within the next 15 to 25 days. 7,000 National Guard personnel are expected to remain at least until the end of the month, officials have said.

About 5,000 soldiers are expected to remain through March, but this number and time period are subject to change.

Massive security forces have been deployed after Former President Donald Trump's followers attacked the Capitol building on January 6, 2020. Investigations revealed that those capitol attackers intended to capture and assassinate congress members as the official verdict was being announced for the states of Georgia.