State Sen. Ron Caldwell, R-Wynne, on Wednesday became the latest state lawmaker to acknowledge that he has tested positive for covid-19.
Caldwell, who chairs the Senate State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee, said he tested positive for the coronavirus last week and he’s at home taking the “hydroxychloroquine cocktail.”
He said his wife, Brenda, also tested positive for covid-19. She is in the hospital on remdesivir, an antiviral medication.
“I should be off quarantine on Monday,” said Caldwell, who is 69.
He said that he’s not sure how he was infected with covid-19, and that he hasn’t been at the state Capitol in the past few weeks.
“We tried to play it safe. We know firsthand this stuff is real,” Caldwell said, noting his wife’s sister died last week from covid-19.
The number of state lawmakers who have said they have tested positive for the coronavirus during the past two months is now 14.
Since March 17, 18 state lawmakers have acknowledged testing positive for the coronavirus. There are currently 35 state senators and 99 state representatives.