Senator Chris Coons, Democrat of Delaware, speaks to the media outside of the West Wing of the White House in Washington, DC, February 3, 2021.
As the rapid spread of the omicron variant sparks an increase in case rates nationally, Sen. Chris Coons, D-Del., said Thursday that he tested positive for Covid-19, becoming the 10th member of Congress to contract the virus this month.
The Pentagon said Thursday that seven staffers tested positive for Covid after accompanying a deputy defense secretary on a trip that included stops in Michigan, Colorado, Hawaii, California and Nebraska. Pentagon press secretary John Kirby said that members of her immediate personal staff tested negative.
The disclosure of his positive test came a day after Clyburn said he had tested positive for the coronaviruses. Clyburn said that he is not sick. He said he had a booster shot in September.
Clyburn was with the president at the graduation.
Biden tested negative for Covid for the third time this week. Biden received a test on Monday after learning he had been in contact with a White House staffer who tested positive.
Biden had a close brush with Covid at the White House. The office of the Vice President said that she tested negative after being in close contact with a staffer who tested positive for Covid.
A spokesman for the senator said that Coons has not been near Biden in the past week.
Government officials face an increased risk of contracting omicron variant as a result of the string of positive tests for members of Congress. Biden and many congressional leaders have a higher risk of hospitalization because of their age, but vaccines and booster shots would reduce their chances.
Coons said in a statement that he has minimal symptoms so far and is optimistic that he will recover after isolating and following CDC guidelines.
Coons said that like millions of other families, they will be wrestling with another holiday spent on Zoom and canceled plans for travel or gathering.
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Cory Booker of New Jersey said they tested positive for Covid. Both senators said that they had mild symptoms.
Seven House of Representatives members have tested positive for Covid since the beginning of December.
The most dominant strain in the United States was detected in southern Africa in late November. CDC data published Monday shows that the variant comprised 73% of the Covid cases in the US.
Three new studies show that the variant may be less likely to result in hospitalization and that it may result in milder symptoms than the past variant.
