Rep. Paul Gosar downplayed his concerns Monday about being exposed to a coronavirus patient 10 days ago, then later mused on Twitter about preferring to "die gloriously in battle than from a virus."

Gosar, R-Ariz., who announced Sunday he was putting himself and several staff members in self-quarantine, shook hands "several times" and "spent quite a bit of time" with the man who is being treated for a confirmed infection, he said in an interview Monday with KTAR (92.3 FM).

Gosar said he and his staffers are healthy, symptom-free and considered low risks for infection at this point.

A Gosar spokesman said the congressman has not been tested for the virus, in keeping with recommendations by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention against testing those who do not have symptoms.

Gosar and Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, placed themselves in quarantine after meeting a man later diagnosed with the sometimes deadly virus at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference last month in the Washington, D.C., area.

"We had numerous contacts, and that's why we were contacted, just to make sure," Gosar said. "We probably spent more time than most anybody else did" with the patient.

Gosar described the still-undisclosed person as "a very nice individual" who wanted "to talk to us about some of our ideas where we've got legislation in, a very astute individual."

"They didn't know they were sick, so from that standpoint, it just shows you not always do patients show up showing all the symptoms. In fact, in health care we treat everybody as if they are sick."

Gosar publicly sounded an upbeat tone and joked about his situation.

In a morning tweet on his personal account, he wrote, "Good morning to everyone except those hoping I die from Corona Virus. You know who you are."

He struck a different tone in a later tweet.

"Been thinking about life and mortality today," Gosar wrote. "I'd rather die gloriously in battle than from a virus. In a way it doesn't matter. But it kinda does."

The tweet quickly had a viral quality of its own.

Rep. Ruben Gallego, D-Ariz., responded with some gentle ribbing.

"How about you just make sure you get healthy and we can get back to debating. I will kill you with boredom in the Natural resource committee," Gallego tweeted. "This is not made in jest. Hope you are fine."

Philip Bump, a political reporter for the Washington Post, was among the many who echoed Gosar's words in a humorous way.

Reach the reporter Ronald J. Hansen at ronald.hansen@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4493. Follow him on Twitter @ronaldjhansen.

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