Louisiana Attorney General Jeff Landry had to sit out Vice President Mike Pence’s visit to his state Tuesday after testing positive for coronavirus.
“Out of an overabundance of caution with the vice president coming to our state, I was tested for cornavirus [sic],” Landry wrote in an email to the state Department of Justice, according to The Louisiana Advocate. “Though experiencing no symptoms, I tested positive for COVID-19.”
The Republican attorney general told employees he is quarantining, taking medications and is asymptomatic. He contacted staffers who have recently been in his proximity.
Pence is in Louisiana for part of Tuesday to meet with Democratic Gov. John Bel Edwards and other state officials about Louisiana’s efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus. In an update Tuesday the Louisiana Department of Health noted 2,215 new COVID-19 cases and 22 new deaths. Hospitalizations for the virus have more than doubled in the last month.
The vice president will also hold a joint press conference with Edwards and meet with officials from Louisiana State University to hear about the school’s plan to reopen. LSU recently announced plans to hold some classes on campus in the fall, though capacity in classrooms and campus buildings will be limited.
“Just landed in the Bayou State. Today I’ll be visiting @LSU to discuss reopening schools as well as the State Emergency Operations Center to deliver our message to the people of Louisiana: We will make sure you have what you need when you need it to combat the Coronavirus,” Pence tweeted Tuesday.
