3 more US lawmakers self-quarantine, raising total to 5

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - Matt Gaetz, Doug Collins and Julia Brownley on Monday became the latest members of Congress to announce they would be self-quarantining after coming in contact with an individual who tested positive for the new coronavirus.

Both Gaetz and Collins had recently spent time with President Donald Trump, with Collins traveling with him to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Friday and Gaetz flying with him aboard Air Force One on Monday.

A video showed Collins shaking hands with Trump during his trip last week.

Collins and Gaetz each said separately that they are feeling well and are not exhibiting symptoms after interacting with the person who tested positive for COVID-19 at a conservative conference outside the nation's capital and would remain in self-quarantine for the 14-day period that began when they encountered the individual.

Gaetz said he was tested today for the virus "and expects results soon."

Brownley separately said she was informed Sunday that she met an individual in the nation's capital who tested positive for the virus and "consulted with the Office of Attending Physician, the CDC, Ventura County Public Health and a personal physician experienced in infectious diseases, all of whom said that the risk of exposure to me and my staff is considered very low."

"However, given the significant number of constituents and other individuals that my staff and I normally have contact with each day when Congress is in session, I have decided to close our DC office for the week," she said.

Brownley did not use the term "self-quarantine" in describing the measures she was taking, saying she and her staff would be "self-monitoring and maintaining social distancing practices" out of what she described as an "abundance of caution."

She said neither she nor her staff are currently exhibiting symptoms.

Sen. Ted Cruz and Congressman Paul Gosar announced Sunday that they would be self-quarantining after coming into contact with the infected individual at the conservative conference that Gaetz and Collins attended.