Congressman-Elect Luke Letlow Hospitalized After COVID-19 Diagnosis

Congressman-elect Luke Letlow in a file photograph. (Luke Letlow's campaign)

Republican congressman-elect Luke Letlow was admitted to the hospital on Dec. 19 after testing positive for COVID-19.

Andrew Bautsch, a spokesman for Letlow who is also infected with the new disease, told the Monroe News Star that Letlow was hospitalized "as a precaution and under the commendation of his doctors."

Letlow won the seat representing Louisiana's 5th Congressional District with 62 percent of the vote on Dec. 5. He faced state Rep. Lance Harris, a Republican, in a runoff. The seat was vacated by Rep. Ralph Abraham, a Republican who retired.

Letlow announced Dec. 18 that he tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus.

"I’m at home resting, following all CDC guidelines, quarantine protocols, and the recommendations of my doctors," he wrote in a tweet.

Most people with COVID-19 experience no or few symptoms and the vast majority recover. A percentage require hospitalization and a small percentage die.

Other Louisiana officials have recently tested positive for COVID-19.

Rep. Cedric Richmond (D-La.), who is poised to join Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden's team as a senior adviser, tested positive on Dec. 17, just a few days after attending a rally in Georgia with Biden.

Lt. Gov. Billy Nungesser, a Republican, tested positive the same day.

Nungesser told WDSU that he went to the hospital for three hours to receive IV fluid treatments.

Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-La.) and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.) contracted the disease earlier this year but have since recovered.

"I was lucky and blessed," Cassidy said in a statement in August.