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Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte tests COVID-19 positive

Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte received one dose of the two-shot COVID-19 vaccine last week before testing positive for the virus on Monday. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI
Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte received one dose of the two-shot COVID-19 vaccine last week before testing positive for the virus on Monday. Photo by Leigh Vogel/UPI | License Photo

April 6 (UPI) -- Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte has tested positive for the coronavirus, his office said.

Gianforte, who had received his first COVID-19 shot last week, received a positive test result Monday after deciding to take the test "out of an abundance of caution" as he was exhibiting mild symptoms a day prior, his office said in a statement.

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At his doctor's orders, the 59-year-old Republican governor will be isolating for 10 days. His office said his wife, Susan Gianforte, was exhibiting no symptoms and was awaiting test results.

"The governor has notified all individuals with whom he may have had close contact," the statement said, adding all of his in-person meetings and events have been canceled until further notice. "The governor will continue to conduct his duties and manage the state's business from his home in Bozeman."

As a precautionary measure, his staff will be tested Tuesday morning.

A spokesperson for the governor told NBC Montana that Gianforte had no public events from Thursday with only a handful of people, including a single staff member, an agent of his protective detail, his family and friends, being his close contacts.

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The governor attended a church service over Easter weekend, but did not come into contact with anyone, the spokesperson said.

Gianforte received his first of two COVID-19 vaccine shots on Thursday when vaccine eligibility in the state opened to all over the age of 16.

With a population just over 1 million, Montana has diagnosed more than 105,000 cases including 1,466 deaths, according to the state's department of health.

The state has also administered more than 500,000 doses, fully inoculating nearly 211,000 residents, it said.

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