2nd Member of Congress Tests Positive for COVID-19

A second member of Congress has now tested positive for coronavirus—and numerous other lawmakers are now in self-quarantine. Rep. Ben McAdams, a Democrat from Utah, announced Wednesday night that he has self-quarantined after testing positive, NBC reports. "On Saturday evening, after returning from Washington, DC, I developed mild cold-like symptoms," he said in a statement. "My symptoms got worse and I developed a fever, a dry cough, and labored breathing and I remain self quarantined." Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart, a Florida Republican, announced earlier Wednesday that he was in self-quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

Both McAdams and Diaz-Balart were in close proximity to other lawmakers during a vote Saturday. Brian Monahan, the attending physician of Congress and the Supreme Court, said Wednesday that he was writing to lawmakers who may have been exposed, using "a very conservative guideline to identify individuals who require additional monitoring," the Wall Street Journal reports. House Minority Whip Steve Scalise said Wednesday that he had a meeting with Diaz-Balart last week and will now self-quarantine. At least 14 others are also self-quarantining, including Chief Deputy Whip Drew Ferguson. The House is not in session this week. (More coronavirus stories.)