Coronavirus in Congress: Lawmakers who have tested positive

The coronavirus has hit Capitol Hill.

Lawmakers in both parties, and in both chambers, have tested positive.

Below is a list of all members of Congress who have contracted the virus. It will be updated if more lawmakers announce they have COVID-19.

 

HOUSE

Rep. Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.)

Cunningham, 37, released a statement saying he self-quarantined on March 19 after learning he had been in contact with a House colleague who had tested positive. The South Carolina Democrat said he was tested after he was unable to see or smell, two symptoms that have been associated with the virus.

“While I otherwise feel fine, since March 17th I have been unable to smell or taste, which I learned this week is a potential symptom of COVID-19. I have been in contact with my doctor since I entered self-quarantine. Yesterday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following a virtual consultation on MUSC.care, I went to my local testing clinic. Today, I learned that I tested positive,” he said in a March 27 statement.

“While my symptoms have begun to improve, I will remain at home until I know it is safe to leave self-quarantine. I will continue to tele-work from home as Congress conducts its ongoing response to this public health crisis and my office will continue its urgent work of serving the people of the Lowcountry,” he added.

Cunningham announced April 30 that he had recovered from the virus and had donated plasma to help those who are critically ill from COVID-19.

Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Ill.)

Davis announced he tested positive for COVID-19 on Aug. 15 after developing a low-grade fever. 

Following the diagnosis, the Illinois Republican said he planned to postpone upcoming events as he quarantined.

“Having consulted with the Office of the Attending Physician (OAP) of Congress and local county health officials, our office is contacting constituents I have met with in-person within the previous 48 hours,” he said in a statement.

Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.)

Diaz-Balart, 58, was the first lawmaker to announce he had contracted the virus, with his office releasing a statement on March 18 that he had tested positive.

“On Saturday evening, Congressman Diaz-Balart developed symptoms, including a fever and a headache. Just a short while ago, he was notified that he has tested positive for COVID-19,” the statement said.

The Florida Republican then took to social media to say that his health is improving and encouraged others to follow guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to help prevent the spread of the disease.

“I’m feeling much better. However, it’s important that everyone take this seriously and follow @CDCgov guidelines in order to avoid getting sick & mitigate the spread of this virus. We must continue to work together to emerge stronger as a country during these trying times,” he tweeted.

Diaz-Balart announced April 5 that he was now virus-free. He later donated his plasma to help other patients.

Rep. Neal Dunn (R-Fla.)

Dunn, a medical doctor, announced that he had tested positive in a statement from his office released on April 9. Dunn is 67 years old.

“Congressman Neal Dunn, M.D. was not feeling well on the evening of Monday, April 6th and did go to the emergency room that night out of an abundance of caution. After meeting CDC criteria, he was tested for COVID-19 and has received notice that the results came back positive,” the statement read.

It added: “Congressman Dunn is feeling great and currently quarantining himself at home per CDC guidelines and working on Phase IV of the Administration’s response to this pandemic. He expects a full recovery soon.”

Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-Texas)

Gohmert, who largely opted against wearing a mask around the Capitol prior to his diagnosis, tested positive for COVID-19 on July 29 after receiving a rapid test at the White House prior to a scheduled trip with the president.

After testing positive, the Texas Republican, 66, informed his office of his results in person sparking strong backlash from members on both sides of the aisle. 

Gohmert’s results came one day after he attended a hearing with Attorney General William Barr and other colleagues and was present at a House Natural Resources Committee hearing.

The conservative congressman questioned whether his positive coronavirus test could have been linked to his face mask. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s guidelines call for individuals to wear masks to prevent spreading the deadly virus.

Rep. Morgan Griffith (R-Va.)

Griffith’s office announced on July 14 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the ninth lawmaker with a confirmed or presumed diagnosis. The announcement came five days after Griffith, 62, joined an outdoor press conference on Capitol Hill with members of the House Freedom Caucus to advocate for reopening schools during the pandemic.

“Although he does not currently have significant symptoms, he will continue to self-isolate as he performs his duties on behalf of Virginia’s Ninth Congressional District,” Griffith’s office said.

Rep. Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.)

Grijalva, 72, announced he tested positive for coronavirus on Aug. 1, shortly after the announcement of Gohmert’s positive test.

Following his diagnosis, the Arizona Democrat called for members around the Capitol to abide by guidelines calling for individuals to wear masks to stop the spread of the virus.

“While I cannot blame anyone directly for this, this week has shown that there are some Members of Congress who fail to take this crisis seriously,” Grijalva said in a statement to the Arizona Republic.

Grijalva, the chairman of the Natural Resources Committee, attended the same hearing Gohmert was present for shortly before the Texas Republican tested positive.

Rep. Jahana Hayes (D-Conn.)

Hayes announced on Sept. 20 that she tested positive for coronavirus.

The Connecticut Democrat tweeted that she was largely asymptomatic and taking precautions to avoid further spreading the virus.

“This morning I received a positive COVID-19 test result and will be quarantined for the 14 days,” she said in a tweet. “After going to 2 urgent care centers yesterday, I finally got an appointment at a 3rd site and was tested this morning.”

Rep. Mike Kelly (R-Pa.)

Shortly after the House passed the third coronavirus relief package, Kelly announced he had tested positive for the virus after exhibiting symptoms earlier in the week. The 71-year-old said his office has taken proper precautions to avoid spreading the virus.

“When I started experiencing mild flu-like symptoms earlier this week, I consulted my primary care physician. My doctor ordered a test for COVID-19, which I obtained at the drive-through testing site at Butler Memorial Hospital. My test came back positive this afternoon,” he said in a statement.

“Thank you to my doctor Bill DiCuccio and the staff at Butler Memorial for their excellent care. My symptoms remain mild, and I will serve the 16th district from home until I fully recover. Additionally, my staff is tele-working and still available to constituents who need assistance,” he continued.

Kelly announced in a May 12 statement that he was virus-free and had donated plasma.

Rep Thomas Massie (R-Ky.)

Massie announced that he tested positive for antibodies in early August.

The Kentucky conservative said he believes he may have contracted the virus in January, around the same time the first case was diagnosed in the United States.

In the wake of testing positive for antibodies, Massie said he planned on donating plasma in an effort to help those struggling to fight the disease.

Rep. Ben McAdams (D-Utah)

McAdams was the second lawmaker to reveal that he had tested positive.

The 45-year-old said that after developing symptoms on March 14, he consulted with his physician and was tested once his symptoms progressed.

“My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough and labored breathing and I remained self-quarantine,” he said in a March 18 statement.

“On Tuesday, my doctor instructed me to get tested for COVID-19 and following his referral, I went to the local testing clinic for the test,” he added. “Today I learned I tested positive.”

On April 7, he announced he was virus-free.

“It hit me really hard. But I’m doing so much better right now. I’m virus-free,” he told ABC. “They told me I can be out of quarantine. I still am practicing social distancing and remaining isolated but I’m doing so much better.”

Rep. Tom Rice (R-S.C.)

Rice announced June 15 that he and his family had tested positive for the coronavirus, making him the eighth member of Congress to have a confirmed or presumed case of the disease.

Rice, 62, said in a Facebook post that he, his wife and son had developed symptoms of COVID-19 — which he referred to as the “Wuhan flu” — in the past week but are now recovering.

 

SENATE

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.)

Cassidy announced on Aug. 20 that he had tested positive for coronavirus, making him the second lawmaker in the upper chamber to contract the virus.

The Louisiana Republican was tested after he was informed he had been exposed to someone who tested positive.

“I am strictly following the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same,” he said in a statement.

Sen. Mike Lee (R-Utah)

Lee announced that he had tested positive on Oct. 2, the same day President Trump announced his own positive test.

“Unlike the test I took just a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday’s test came back positive. On advice of the Senate attending physician, I will remain isolated for the next 10 days,” he said in a statement.

Lee, who previously quarantined in March because of Paul’s diagnosis, was in the Capitol in the days leading up to his positive test, including meeting with Judge Amy Coney Barrett, Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court.

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.)

Paul was the first senator to test positive. He announced his diagnosis on March 22, with his spokesman releasing a statement that he “was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”

The Kentucky Republican, who said he was asymptomatic, took heat for attending work and going to the Senate gym instead of self-quarantining while he awaited his test results.

“For those who want to criticize me for lack of quarantine, realize that if the rules on testing had been followed to a tee, I would never have been tested and would still be walking around the halls of the Capitol,” the 57-year-old said in a statement March 23.

“The current guidelines would not have called for me to get tested nor quarantined,” he added. “It was my extra precaution, out of concern for my damaged lung, that led me to get tested.”

Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) announced April 7 that he was virus-free and volunteering at a local hospital.

 

Presumed cases

Rep. Nydia Velázquez (D-N.Y.)

Velázquez announced on March 30 that she has been “diagnosed with presumed coronavirus infection.”

The New York congresswoman was present for the House’s vote on the fourth coronavirus relief package shortly before being diagnosed with the virus.

Velázquez, 67, said in a statement her symptoms were mild and that she is “isolating myself at my home and following the guidance of the Office of Attending Physician.”

Velázquez stated on April 2 that she started “turning the corner.”

 

— Rachel Scully and Cristina Marcos contributed. Updated Oct. 2 at 2:20 p.m.