Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) said he’s recovered from the CCP virus and has begun volunteering at a hospital.
Speaking on social media on Tuesday, Paul revealed he recovered from the virus and that he’s been volunteering to help patients with COVID-19, the disease the virus causes.
“I appreciate all the best wishes I have received. I have been retested and I am negative. I have started volunteering at a local hospital to assist those in my community who are in need of medical help, including Coronavirus patients. Together we will overcome this!” he said.
The senator shared a picture showing him in the garb he wears while volunteering.
Paul was the first U.S. senator to test positive for the CCP virus. His diagnosis prompted several other senators, including Sens. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) and Mike Lee (R-Utah), to enter quarantine.
No other senators have tested positive positive for COVID-19 and Romney and Lee later exited isolation.
A number of lawmakers in the House of Representatives have tested positive for the new disease, including Reps. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-Fla.), Ben McAdams (D-Utah), Joe Cunningham (D-S.C.), and Mike Kelly (R-Penn.).
No lawmakers have required hospitalization. About 80 percent of people infected with the CCP virus show no, mild, or moderate symptoms, and are asked to isolate at home while recovering.
The illness, which emerged from China last year, has a mortality rate of around 1 percent or less when including the asymptomatic cases authorities aren’t able to confirm, according to top public health officials. Symptoms are similar to those of the flu and include fever, fatigue, and cough, while preventative measures include avoiding crowds, frequently washing hands, and regularly cleaning objects and surfaces like doorknobs.
As of Tuesday, the United States has 11,851 deaths and 379,965 cases, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.
