The Northams tested positive after they learned someone who works in the Governor’s mansion tested positive for the virus. “COVID-19 is very real and very contagious,” Governor Northam said in an emailed statement, per WTVR News.
“The safety and health of our staff and close contacts is of utmost importance to Pam and me, and we are working closely with the Department of Health to ensure that everyone is well taken care of. We are grateful for your thoughts and support, but the best thing you can do for us—and most importantly, for your fellow Virginians—is to take this seriously.”
Both the governor and the first lady will be in isolation for 10 days, where the governor will continue to work from his office. The Executive Mansion and Patrick Henry office building will be closed for a deep-cleaning today.
Governor Northam is the only governor in the nation who is also a doctor. He has been criticized by some Republican lawmakers as being too stringent with his restrictions aimed at slowing the spread of the coronavirus.
Three other governors also have tested positive for COVID-19, though one of those turned out to be a false positive. Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican who has steadfastly refused to require residents to wear masks, announced he’d tested positive earlier this week.
Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt in July became the first governor to announce he’d tested positive. He recovered and returned to work less than two weeks later. In August, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine tested positive using a coronavirus raapid-test, but later tested negative with a more sensitive test.
