Photo: US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo speaks at a press conference at the State Department in Washington DC, on March 17, 2020. /AFP

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo on Tuesday acknowledged that there are at least “a couple” of State Department employees who have tested positive for the coronavirus.

“We've had a couple of employees, count them on one hand, who have positive tests," said Pompeo at a news briefing at the State Department headquarters in Washington. 

According to the department, at least one US embassy employee in Jamaica has contracted the COVID-19 virus. The US State Department has about 75,000 staffers worldwide. 

AS US diplomats are scrambling to help Americans affected overseas, frustration with the US’ handling of the issue is growing both internally and externally.