Three U.S. politicians have entered self-quarantine after interacting with a coronavirus patient at last month’s Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Maryland.
The unnamed individual, who has since tested positive for COVID-19, came in physical contact with Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Reps. Paul Gosar (R-Ariz.) and Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.).
As legislators are wont to do during public events, two of the three men reported shaking hands at least once with the sick person.
And while none are currently experiencing any viral symptoms, all three volunteered to stay home for the remainder of the recommended 14-day incubation period.
As of Monday morning, there were more than 560 cases of coronavirus in the US; 22 people have died—the vast majority in Washington state.
“As we learn more about COVID-19, it is imperative to heed the advice and guidance from the CDC [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention] and medical professionals,” Gosar said in a statement released on Sunday.
The Representative previously mocked a coronavirus spending package passed last week by the Democratic-controlled House, implying that the CDC has enough money to handle the growing outbreak.
Gaetz also flouted coronavirus concerns on the House floor last week, showing up in a gas mask as he and other lawmakers voted to approve $8.3 billion to combat the illness.
Someone from Gaetz’s congressional district died from COVID-19 on Friday.
“While the Congressman is not experiencing symptoms, he received testing today and expects results soon,” a statement posted to Gaetz’s website said. “Under doctor’s usual precautionary recommendations, he’ll remain self-quarantined until the 14-day period expires this week.”
Former presidential hopeful Ted Cruz, meanwhile, is not experiencing any symptoms and feels “fine and healthy.”
“Given that the interaction was [more than] 10 days ago, that the average incubation period is five to six days, that the interaction was for less than a minute, and that I have no current symptoms, the medical authorities have advised me that the odds of transmission from the other individual to me were extremely low,” he said.
Still, Cruz is laying low at his home in Texas this week, until a full 14 days have passed following the CPAC interaction.
“The medical authorities explicitly advised me that … the people who have interacted with me in the 10 days since CPAC should not be concerned about potential transmission,” according to a weekend statement.
Event attendee Raheem Kassam, a British political activist, tweeted on Monday that he’s been experiencing flu-like symptoms, and is worried the conference’s Patient Zero (of whom he claims to know the identify) was in the same room as a number of high-profile people, including Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas), RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, presidential advisor Kellyanne Conway, Secretary of Education Betsy DeVos, and Fox Nation hosts Diamond and Silk.
More on Geek.com:
- Bill Gates’ Foundation to Provide Coronavirus Home Testing Kits
- Facebook Gives WHO Free Ads to Counter Coronavirus Misinformation
- Amazon Confirms Seattle Employee Has Coronavirus
from Geek.com https://ift.tt/2Q4zVk6
via IFTTT
0 comments:
Post a Comment