Marlon Reis, the partner of Gov. Jared Polis, was released from the hospital Tuesday after contracting coronavirus 10 days ago and checking into the hospital for treatment over the weekend.
Reis, 39, is “feeling well” and was advised by his doctor to continue taking steroids for two more days, according to the governor’s office. He spent two nights at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital after the governor drove him there Sunday evening.
“I am so thankful to the doctors, nurses and staff and for the support and well wishes we have received from friends, neighbors, and Coloradans during this time,” Reis said, according to an emailed news release. “I hold everyone who has been affected by this deadly virus in my heart. Jared and I continue to encourage our fellow Coloradans to remain vigilant, wear masks, stay 6 feet apart, avoid gatherings and wash your hands regularly.”
The governor announced Nov. 25 that he and Reis had been exposed to COVID-19 and later revealed that a staffer who met with the governor had the virus. Polis and Reis learned Nov. 28 that they had both tested positive for coronavirus.
The governor’s symptoms, including headaches and trouble sleeping, have been mild, he said.
Polis picked up Reis from the hospital and tweeted when they arrived home Tuesday afternoon. “Marlon and I are so thankful for the doctors, nurses and staff who took care of him while he was there,” the governor said.
The governor’s office had called the trip to the hospital a precautionary move. Reis received dexamethasone, a steroid, and remdesivir, an experimental antiviral drug. He did not require oxygen, according to a Monday statement from the governor’s office.
Reis began experiencing shortness of breath and a worsening cough on Sunday, eight days after testing positive.
Details about how the governor first became infected remain unclear.
The governor’s office declined to provide information about the employee who is believed to have exposed the governor, such as that person’s proximity to the governor, citing federal health privacy laws.
The office did not reveal which hospital Reis was admitted to until after his release Tuesday. State officials also have not said whether Polis and Reis’ two young children have tested positive for coronavirus.
Polis is one of at least six governors to test positive for the coronavirus. More than a dozen have taken additional precautions after members of their staff or relatives contracted the illness.