CPAC Coronavirus Exposure Leads AZ Congressman To Self-Quarantine

An Arizona congressman is under self-quarantine Monday after coming into contact with a person who later tested positive for COVID-19 at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland.

Rep. Paul Gosar, a Republican who represents Arizona's 4th District, said Monday on Twitter he and members of his staff spent an extended period the person infected with the new coronavirus and shook the person's hand several times.

Gosar said neither he nor his staff members are showing any symptoms of coronavirus, but he has decided to stay at his Arizona home until the 14-day quarantine period ends.

He is also closing his Washington, D.C., office for the week and has asked his staff to telecommute.

"As we learn more about COVID-19, it is imperative to heed the advice and guidance from the CDC and medical professionals," Gosar said in a statement. "President Trump and Vice President Pence have assembled an incredible team, and I have been in contact with the CDC and the House Office of the Attending Physician."

On Sunday, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said he would self-quarantine as a result of being at the CPAC conference. He also interacted with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 but said in a statement the interaction "consisted of a brief conversation and a hand shake."

Cruz said medical authorities told him the odds of him getting the virus from the interaction are extremely low.

"The medical authorities explicitly advised me that, given the above criteria, the people who have interacted with me in the 10 days since CPAC should not be concerned about potential transmission," Cruz said in a statement.

President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence both attended CPAC, but the American Conservative Union said neither was exposed to the new coronavirus by the ill person.

"This attendee had no interaction with the president or vice president and never attended events in the main hall," the American Conservative Union said in a statement.

Still, the Maryland Department of Health is encouraging CPAC attendees to take their temperature twice a day and contact a health care provider if they develop a fever higher than 100.4 degrees Fahrenheit or a respiratory illness.

"Due to the scale of this conference, we are urging attendees who are experiencing flu-like symptoms to immediately reach out to their health care provider," Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said in a statement Saturday. "We are providing this update not to unnecessarily raise alarm but in the interest of full transparency and out of an abundance of caution."