Sen. Rick Scott has tested positive for Covid-19, the second senator to contract the virus this week.
In a statement Friday, the Florida Republican said he’d previously tested negative before receiving a positive diagnosis on Friday morning.
Scott, who will chair the GOP Senate campaign arm, has been isolating for the past week after encountering an individual infected with coronavirus.
“I am feeling good and experiencing very mild symptoms,” Scott said. “I will be working from home in Naples until it is safe for me to return to Washington, D.C. I want to remind everyone to be careful and do the right things to protect yourselves and others.”
In addition to Scott, 87-year-old Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa), the second-oldest member of the Senate and third in line of presidential succession, announced this week he’d tested positive for the virus. Grassley has said he’s not experiencing symptoms and remains in isolation.
Grassley and Scott are part of a growing list of lawmakers who have contracted the disease. Sens. Rand Paul (R-Ky.), Bill Cassidy (R-La.), Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) and Mike Lee (R-Utah) have all tested positive this year. Sens. Tim Kaine (D-Va.) and Bob Casey (D-Pa.) meanwhile, have tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.