Updated on March 10 at 2:09 p.m. with comments from Sen. John Cornyn.

WASHINGTON -- A second Texas lawmaker confirmed he was exposed to the novel coronavirus at a recent conservative political conference. Rep. Louie Gohmert, R-Tyler, said Monday he interacted with a person who subsequently developed COVID-19.

Gohmert tweeted that he was possibly exposed to the virus at the Conservative Political Action Conference on Feb. 27 and that he has no symptoms of the disease.

Gohmert is the fifth lawmaker to confirm they interacted with the convention attendee who has tested positive for the coronavirus, but he is the first to not self-quarantine after being informed of the exposure.

Maryland officials warned Saturday that the person who attended the recent conference in the suburb of Oxon Hill had tested positive for the COVID-19 virus.

Gohmert said he was contacted Sunday night by a physician with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention who cleared him to return to work on Capitol Hill.

“He said he would return if he were me and advised that my staff and I should just be careful to observe proper hygiene protocols,” Gohmert wrote. “I took the advice of the expert and returned to work. No one is panicking and we are observing the recommended precautions."

Texas Sen. Ted Cruz said Sunday he interacted with the infected person and is self-quarantining this week at his home in Texas “out of an abundance of caution.”

Cruz’s office said Monday in a statement that the senator still has not exhibited any symptoms of the virus.

Texas’ other senator, John Cornyn, indicated Tuesday he was unimpressed with Gohmert’s decision to not self-quarantine, saying, “I hope he doesn’t have [the coronavirus].”

“I think Senator Cruz made a good decision,” Cornyn, a Republican, told CNN reporter Manu Raju on Capitol Hill when asked if he thought Gohmert should have quarantined himself.

Asked Texas Sen. John Cornyn about his fellow Texas Republican, Louie Gohmert, and his decision not to self-quarantine.



"I hope he doesn't have it," Cornyn said. Asked if Gohmert should have self-quarantined, Cornyn said: "I think Sen. Cruz made a good decision.” — Manu Raju (@mkraju) March 10, 2020

Reps. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., Matt Gaetz, R-Fla., and Doug Collins, R-Georgia, are all also under self-quarantine after interacting with the infected conference attendee.

President Donald Trump shook hands with Collins on Friday when he arrived in Atlanta to visit the CDC, and Gaetz was with the president aboard Air Force One on Monday when he learned that he had come in contact with the infected CPAC attendee.

The White House said late Monday that Trump has not been tested for the virus and has shown no symptoms.

Trump and Vice President Mike Pence spoke at CPAC last week. White House officials said Saturday that there was no indication either had met or were in “close proximity” to the infected person.

Separate from the conference, Rep. Julia Brownley, D-Calif., announced Monday she came into contact with a person who has since tested positive for coronavirus. Brownley said her risk of exposure to the disease was “low” but she was closing her D.C. office for the week.

The announcements came as the first case of the virus was confirmed in the nation’s capital. A man in his 50s tested positive for COVID-19, Washington, D.C., Mayor Muriel Bowser announced Saturday. The man started showing symptoms of the illness in late February.

A prominent Episcopal church in Washington suspended all activities Sunday after identifying one of its senior leaders as the first person in the nation’s capital to test positive.

The Rev. Timothy Cole, the church rector, was in stable condition after being hospitalized Saturday night, according to a written statement from the Rev. Crystal Hardin, the assistant rector.

Hundreds of attendees of the church were told Monday to self-quarantine for two weeks from the date they last entered the church.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.