Two more House lawmakers test positive for COVID-19

Reps. Ben Cline (R-Va.) and John Katko (R-N.Y.) announced separately on Monday that they had tested positive for COVID-19. 

“I took a COVID-19 test on Saturday and the result was positive,” Cline said in a statement. 

“I have been vaccinated, and after consulting with my physician, I am taking all necessary precautions to isolate here at home in Virginia,” he added in addition to thanking everyone for their support.

Katko announced his breakthrough COVID-19 diagnosis in a tweet. 

“I tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. I am fully vaccinated and boosted, and am thankfully experiencing only mild symptoms,” he said.

“I will be voting by proxy in Washington this week and working from home as I recover. My constituent service team remains available and ready to serve,” Katko added.

I tested positive for COVID-19 yesterday. I am fully vaccinated and boosted, and am thankfully experiencing only mild symptoms. I will be voting by proxy in Washington this week and working from home as I recover. My constituent service team remains available and ready to serve.

— Rep. John Katko (@RepJohnKatko) January 10, 2022

The representatives join a growing number of lawmakers infected with the virus. 

Reps. Sean Casten (D-Ill.) and Young Kim (R-Calif.) announced their breakthrough cases of the virus on Saturday, and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.), who is also vaccinated, said on Sunday that she too had tested positive.

A breakthrough infection means the person testing positive for coronavirus had been vaccinated.

The infections come as the U.S. grapples with the spread of the highly contagious omicron variant, which was first detected late last year in South Africa. 

The Coronavirus Resource Center at Johns Hopkins University reported the U.S. has seen 10,127,538 cases in the last 28 days, accounting for nearly 17 percent of the cases seen in the country throughout the entire pandemic.