Republican Sen. Rick Scott, of Florida, said Thursday he will voluntarily self-isolate after possibly coming in contact with a person who tested positive for coronavirus.
Scott said in a statement his office was informed Thursday a member of the Brazilian Embassy who was at an event in Miami with the senator earlier this week later tested positive for COVID-19.
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Scott said in a phone interview with News 6 he was at an investment conference when the possible exposure occurred.
“I introduced the president of Brazil at an investment conference in Miami,” Scott said. “I was in a room before that and sat next to him before he spoke.”
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The member of the Brazilian delegation had no symptoms leading up to or on the day of the conference they both attended, Scott said.
“I didn’t want to take a chance that and impact anybody else — and as of right now I have no symptoms,” the senator said in a phone interview with News 6.
The Associated Press reported the Brazilian president’s office said a senior official who met President Donald Trump on March 7 has tested positive for the new coronavirus.
The senator said doctors have told him he is still at low risk for contracting the virus and he did not need to take a test or quarantine, but he “made the decision to self-quarantine in an abundance of caution.”
“I’m going to do what I’m asking everybody else to do: Wash my hands well, clean the surfaces well, (practice) social distancing, don’t be around people that are sick or have risk of coronavirus," Scott said.
Scott said his “goal is not to be around other people” for the next 10 days.
The senator said he feels fine and his offices in Washington, D.C. and in Florida remain open and operational.
As of Thursday afternoon, according to the Florida Department of Health, there were 34 Florida-related coronavirus cases.
