CPAC attendee tests positive for coronavirus

The American Conservative Union (ACU) announced Saturday that an attendee at the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). 

Important Health Notification for CPAC 2020 participants and attendees. pic.twitter.com/NtahNO8st3

— ACU (@ACUConservative) March 7, 2020

The patient in question was exposed to the virus before attending the conference and was tested for the disease in a New Jersey hospital, which the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) confirmed as positive on Saturday. The patient is currently in quarantine in the hospital where they were tested.

ACU said that the patient did not make contact with President Trump or Vice President Mike Pence, and never attended the events in the main hall.

However, ACU chairman Matt Schlapp told the Washington Post he interacted with the patient at the event and that he then shook Trump’s hand on the stage on the last day of the conference. The organization did not provide any other details about the patient or what events at the conference they attended. 

The conservative organization urged attendees who have concerns to contact ACU or the Department of Health for the State of Maryland, where the conference was held. 

“Our children, spouses, extended family, and friends attended CPAC,” the statement read. “During this time, we need to remain calm, listen to our health care professionals, and support each other. We send this message in that spirit.”

As of Saturday afternoon, there are 401 confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the U.S. and 17 deaths, according to updated data from Johns Hopkins University.

Updated at 8:01 p.m.