A top Republican senator is casting doubt on the Senate returning to Washington on April 20 amid a steady uptick in coronavirus cases and deaths.

Sen. Roy Blunt Roy Dean BluntOn The Money: Trump undercuts GOP, calls for bigger COVID-19 relief package | Communities of color hit hardest financially by COVID-19 | Businesses, states pass on Trump payroll tax deferral Trump undercuts GOP, calls for bigger COVID-19 relief package Businesses, states pass on Trump payroll tax deferral MORE (R-Mo.), a member of GOP leadership, said Thursday that the Senate is "unlikely" to stick to its plans for a late-April return.

"There’s all these cities under a closure order till April 30 or so. I think it’s unlikely, but we may have to figure out a way to come back," he told reporters. "My personal view is it’s unlikely."

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Blunt, who was in the Capitol on Thursday for a brief session, is the latest senator to signal that the Senate schedule could slip. The chamber is in the middle of a three-week recess after Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell Addison (Mitch) Mitchell McConnellMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled McConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt MORE (R-Ky.) extended the previously scheduled two-week Easter break.

Sen. Chuck Grassley Charles (Chuck) Ernest GrassleySenate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Senators offer disaster tax relief bill Trump spikes political football with return of Big Ten season MORE (R), who has been on his farm in Iowa, previously acknowledged the possibility of a delayed return during a weekly teleconference call.

“Probably stay here for another 10 days and maybe longer if the Senate doesn’t go back into session on April 20," he said.

McConnell has not announced a scheduling update since extending the April recess. The House left town before St. Patrick's Day on March 17.

Aside from passage of the third coronavirus bill, when hundreds of lawmakers scrambled to get back to the Capitol, House leadership has not announced when members should return to Washington.

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"We don't want anybody coming back at any time that might not be healthy for them," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi Nancy PelosiMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Overnight Defense: Top admiral says 'no condition' where US should conduct nuclear test 'at this time' | Intelligence chief says Congress will get some in-person election security briefings Pelosi must go — the House is in dire need of new leadership MORE (D-Calif.) said during a conference call on Thursday.

But senators have signaled that they view the April 20 return date as flexible depending on the spread and intensity of the virus.

"We're supposed to go back to Washington on April 20, I think that's unrealistic," Sen. Angus King Angus KingShakespeare Theatre Company goes virtual for 'Will on the Hill...or Won't They?' On The Trail: How Nancy Pelosi could improbably become president Angus King: Ending election security briefings 'looks like a pre-cover-up' MORE (I-Maine) said during a recent interview with the Maine Chamber of Commerce.

Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer Chuck SchumerMcConnell accuses Democrats of sowing division by 'downplaying progress' on election security Warren, Schumer introduce plan for next president to cancel ,000 in student debt Schumer lashes out at Trump over 'blue states' remark: 'What a disgrace' MORE (D-N.Y.) was asked on Monday about the April 20 return date. He demurred on commenting on a specific day, but said he expected the Senate would need to return "relatively soon" to work on a fourth coronavirus relief bill.

Sticking to the current schedule would have senators returning at a time when public health officials expect Washington, D.C., could be among the next hot spots that will see a rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases and deaths.

There were 1,440 confirmed cases in the nation's capital as of noon Thursday, and 27 deaths, according figures compiled by Johns Hopkins University.

Sen. Dick Durbin Richard (Dick) Joseph DurbinMcConnell focuses on confirming judicial nominees with COVID-19 talks stalled Senate Republicans signal openness to working with Biden Top GOP senator calls for Biden to release list of possible Supreme Court picks MORE of Illinois, the No. 2 Senate Democrat, said it would be "dangerous and risky effort" to bring lawmakers back on April 20. The Senate is scheduled to vote on the nominee to be inspector general of the Nuclear Regulatory Commission on the 20th.

Durbin and Sen. Rob Portman Robert (Rob) Jones PortmanRomney undecided on authorizing subpoenas for GOP Obama-era probes Congress needs to prioritize government digital service delivery House passes B bill to boost Postal Service MORE (R-Ohio) have offered a rules change that would allow McConnell and Schumer to temporarily enact remote voting.

But both McConnell and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) have signaled they are opposed to the idea.

"As long as the Speaker and Majority Leader are both opposed to that, any discussions we would have on that would just be at the most hypothetical level," Blunt said on Thursday.

Blunt is chairman of the Senate Rules Committee and would have oversight of any potential changes to voting procedures in the chamber.

He added that other potential changes, like requiring masks or temperature checks, were also not currently under discussion.

"In this particular moment, even though you want to prepare for contingencies, anticipating what’s going to happen a week-and-a-half or two weeks in advance is really hard to do because the circumstances have changed and will continue to change. Hopefully they’ll continue to change for the better in the near future," Blunt said.