Mick Mulvaney under self-quarantine after his niece is exposed to COVID-19 infection at Mar-a-Lago

Outgoing White House Chief of Staff Mick Mulvaney is under a self-imposed quarantine after his niece reportedly came in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.

White House officials confirmed on Tuesday that Mulvaney had quarantined himself and was waiting the results of his niece's coronavirus test. The niece was said to have spent time at Mar-a-Lago with a Brazilian official who tested positive.

According to the reports, Mulvaney has already tested negative once.

It was not immediately clear why Mulvaney's niece travelled to Mar-a-Lago or how the pair got access to the scarce tests.

In February, the chief of staff suggested that media had over-hyped the COVID-19 threat.

“They think this will bring down the president,” Mulvaney said at the time. “That’s what it’s all about.”