Pennsylvania congressman tests positive for COVID-19

Aug. 22 (UPI) -- A Pennsylvania lawmaker announced Saturday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and wouldn't be participating in a special U.S. House vote on a $25 billion bill to bolster the United States Postal Service.

Republican U.S. Rep. Dan Meuser issued a statement Saturday that he was following CDC health guidelines.

"I will be taking all necessary actions, including postponing upcoming public events and working from home in quarantine until I receive a negative test result," Meuser wrote. "I am thankful to God that my grown children were not at home and that my wife Shelley has tested negative."

Meuser said he would miss the vote on the $25 billion bill passed Saturday by a Democrat majority.

"Because of this, I will not be present or voting today on H.R. 8015. I will, however, submit for the record that I would have voted 'NAY,'" Meuser wrote.

Meuser appeared at multiple public events in his district last week before learning he tested positive, the Reading Eagle reported.

Meuser is one of several members of Congress to test positive for the virus.

In July, North Carolina's Rep. Tom Rice, a Republican, announced that he, his wife and son had tested positive for the virus, calling it the "Wuhan Flu" on his Facebook page.

Several other U.S. politicians and government officials have contracted COVID-19, including Sen. Rand Paul, who contracted the virus in March, and Sen. Tim Kaine and his wife, Anne Holton, who tested positive for COVID-19 antibodies in June.