Sen. Bill Cassidy announced Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
“I strictly follow the direction of our medical experts and strongly encourage others to do the same,” the Louisiana Republican said.
Cassidy’s office said he followed Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, which say to inform other people with whom he had contact and quarantined two weeks ago.
The senator was tested Thursday after he was informed the previous evening that he had come in contact with an individual with the coronavirus.
Cassidy is running for reelection in Louisiana. He was first elected to the First Chamber in 2014, defeating official Democrat Mary Landrieu. He previously served in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2009 to 2015.
Sen. Rand Paul, a Republican from Kentucky, was the first member of the House of Representatives to test positive for the virus in late March. Democratic Sens. Tim Kaine of Virginia and Bob Casey of Pennsylvania also tested positive. However, they were tested both months after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
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