Sen. Ted Cruz staying at home after exposure to man with coronavirus
Sen. Ted Cruz said Sunday he will remain at his home in Texas after learning that he shook hands and briefly chatted with a man in suburban Washington who has tested positive for coronavirus.
Meanwhile, Maryland reported two new cases on Sunday, raising to five the total confirmed cases in the state.
In a separate case of coronavirus, a prominent Episcopal church in Washington, D.C., suspended all activities after announcing that one of its senior leaders was the first person in the nation’s capital to test positive for the virus.
The Rev. Timothy Cole, the rector of Christ Church Georgetown, was in stable condition after being hospitalized Saturday night, according to a statement from the Rev. Crystal Hardin, the assistant rector.
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In an unrelated case, Cruz said he met the man being treated for coronavirus 10 days ago at the Conservative Political Action Conference in suburban Oxon Hill, Maryland. The Texas Republican said he’s not experiencing any symptoms, feels fine and has been advised by medical authorities that the odds of transmission were extremely low.
Yet, Cruz said, out of an abundance of caution he will remain at home in Texas for another few days until a full 14 days have passed since the interaction. He said medical authorities advised him that those who have interacted with him in the last 10 days should not be concerned about potential transmission.
David Popp, spokesman for Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., said Sunday evening that no changes have been made in the chamber’s schedule in the wake of Cruz’s decision to remain in Texas.
The Senate has a vote scheduled Monday evening and plans to be in session this week considering energy and possibly other legislation. The Senate and the House are set for a one-week recess the week of March 16.
Both President Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at CPAC, but the White House said there was no indication that either had met or were in “close proximity” to the infected attendee.