Fox News president and top anchors exposed to Covid-19 on private flight

Martha MacCallum, Bret Baier, Dana Perino and Juan Williams among those reportedly exposed to Covid-19 on charter plane following the final presidential debates

Fox News hosts and the network’s president have been told to quarantine after they were exposed to the novel coronavirus while on a private flight following the final presidential debate, according to a new report.

At least one person on the charter flight from Nashville to New York last week has since tested positive for Covid-19, the New York Times reported on Sunday, citing multiple anonymous sources.

President Donald Trump and former Vice President Joe Biden faced off in Nashville on  Thursday night despite ongoing concerns surrounding the coronavirus pandemic.

It was reported Mr Trump tested positive just days after the first presidential debates during a week in which the president attended multiple campaign fundraisers in several states and was traveling frequently, though it remained unclear when exactly the president first knew of his diagnosis.

Jay Wallace, the president of Fox News Media, was among the several television personalities exposed to the novel coronavirus, according to the New York Times report.

Those who were on the flight also included anchors like Martha MacCallum, Bret Baier, Dana Perino and Juan Williams the newspaper reported. According to the report, the anchors will continue working remotely while self-isolating at their homes.

The news comes as a spokesperson for Vice President Mike Pence confirmed this weekend that at least five of the vice president’s staffers have tested positive for Covid-19, including his chief of staff and senior political adviser.

Mr Pence was considered to have been in “close contact” with his chief of staff Marc Short, according to spokesperson Devin O’Malley, who said the vice president has tested negative and “will maintain his schedule in accordance with the CDC guidelines for essential personnel”.

Fox News has previously faced criticism over its coverage of the coronavirus pandemic and a group in Washington attempted to sue, in part over statements that were aired describing the crisis as a “hoax”. The case was dismissed by a judge after Fox News argued that several hosts had warned about the pandemic and its dangers.

The network has not confirmed details of the New York Times report, citing confidentiality surrounding private health information.