Gov. Jared Polis said Tuesday that he and his partner, Marlon Reis, have “very mild symptoms” three days after testing positive for COVID-19, providing some of his first public remarks since contracting the disease.
“This is just such a lottery when you get this thing,” Polis said during a video briefing with reporters.
He thanked people who have sent him and Reis well wishes. Polis said he is hopeful that he and Reis will continue to be OK.
COVID-19 IN COLORADO
The latest from the coronavirus outbreak in Colorado:
- MAP: Cases and deaths in Colorado.
- TESTING: Here’s where to find a community testing site. The state is now encouraging anyone with symptoms to get tested.
- VACCINE HOTLINE: Get up-to-date information.
“I’m certainly not out of the woods,” Polis said. “Nor is Marlon. As we know, this can certainly take a different turn after several days. But, so far, I feel very good.”
Polis’ office has released few details about the Democrat’s exposure to COVID-19 and his positive test for the disease on Saturday, citing health privacy laws.
The Colorado Sun has pressed the governor’s office for more details since Polis announced he and Reis tested positive for COVID-19.
Here’s what the governor’s office said on Monday, as first reported in The Sun’s Unaffiliated newsletter:
- Polis is believed to have been exposed to the virus on Wednesday by someone in his office who tested positive for the disease. The person’s identity or role within the office was not disclosed.
- A second staffer is now in quarantine, but it’s unknown who the person is and whether they have received a test.
The two positive cases — and a potential third — linked to the governor’s office appear to represent an outbreak, defined by state health officials as two people testing positive for COVID-19 in a span of two weeks. But the governor’s office denies it is experiencing an outbreak.
Polis and Reis were asymptomatic when they tested positive for coronavirus over the weekend. It’s not clear when they began experiencing symptoms.
Polis’ spokesman, Conor Cahill, said that the governor is following Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment guidelines.