The state’s surgeon general Greg Bledsoe said Wednesday that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Bledsoe said in a text message to to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette that he woke up this morning with very mild symptoms.
“Out of an abundance of caution, I went in and received my fourth covid PCR test of the week,” he said. “This one was positive.”
Since he’s already isolating, there has been no further transmission, Bledsoe said. “I’m continuing to work from home via Zoom, email and phone,” he wrote in his text message.
Bledsoe said he informed Gov. Asa Hutchinson and Health Secretary Jose Romero of his positive tests Wednesday morning.
“Family is improving and I otherwise feel fine,” he said.
Bledsoe said Monday that his wife and two of their three children tested positive for the coronavirus as well as his parents, Sen. Cecile Bledsoe, R-Rogers, and state Department of Health chief physician specialist James Bledsoe.
State Rep. Marcus Richmond, R-Gravelly, has also tested positive for the coronavirus, increasing the number of state lawmakers who have tested positive for covid-19 to 10 during the past week and a half.
Richmond said he learned Wednesday morning that the test he took on Monday was positive.
“I’m not bad,” he said. “I think I’m already on the rebound.”
Richmond said he suspects he was infected by the coronavirus during legislative budget hearings before they were temporarily suspended on Oct. 20 for the rest of last week.
The other lawmakers who have tested positive for the coronavirus during the past week and half include Reps. Jeff Wardlaw, R-Hermitage; Gayla McKenzie, R-Gravette; Michelle Gray, R-Melbourne; Stu Smith, R-Batesville; Joe Cloud, R-Russellville and Charlene Fite, R-Van Buren.
The others include Sens. Missy Irvin, R-Mountain View; Terry Rice, R-Waldron and Cecile Bledsoe.
Cloud said he was hospitalized for five days with developing covid-19 pneumonia and was released from the hospital on Monday.
He said he attended legislative budget hearings on Oct. 13-15 and became sick on Oct 17.
Cloud, who is a retired doctor, said "there is no way to be 100% sure” how he was infected with the virus.