Especially since the article isn't about him. It mentions him twice, once citing the travel ban, another time quoting him as saying that we have good testing infrastructure (but noting that he did not elaborate). It does not describe him as "bad" or say anything directly negative. The article is about a high-level bureaucrat who says only "we".

The OP's comment is, unfortunately, indicative. The OP reads it as negative, and the reality is negative, but his primary concern is about the assignment of blame. In particular, assuring that it does not fall on him, and trying to shift it anywhere else. Meantime, the person actually cited in the article is trying to get something done -- which starts by admitting the there is a thing that needs to be done.