WASHINGTON (AFP) - US Vice-President Mike Pence, whose press secretary tested positive for coronavirus, has decided to "keep his distance" from President Donald Trump for a few days, the White House said on Tuesday (May 12).

Katie Miller, Pence's press secretary, tested positive for the virus last week along with a personal valet to Trump.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Pence, who heads the White House coronavirus task force, "has made the choice to keep his distance for a few days" from the president.

"I would just note that that's his personal decision to make that," McEnany said.

"As to how many days he does that, that's a decision for the vice president."

Trump said on Monday that Pence has tested negative for the virus which has left more than 80,000 people dead in the United States.

McEnany was also asked by a reporter during a briefing in the White House press room why she wasn't wearing a mask.

She said she was sufficiently distant from the reporters in the room who were wearing masks themselves.

"I had a negative test today and a negative test yesterday and I'm in an OK place," McEnany said.

Three high-profile members of the White House coronavirus task force are currently in self-imposed quarantine: infectious disease expert Anthony Fauci, Robert Redfield, director of the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, and Stephen Hahn, the head of the US Food and Drug Administration.