Rand Paul
Rand PaulReuters

Senator Rand Paul (R-KY) has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesman said on Sunday.

“Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19. He is feeling fine and is in quarantine. He is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events,” Sergio Gor, Paul’s spokesman, said.

Gor added that Paul “was not aware of any direct contact with any infected person.”

The spokesman added Paul would “be back in the Senate after his quarantine period ends.”

“Ten days ago, our D.C. office began operating remotely, hence virtually no staff has had contact with Senator Paul,” he said.

Paul became the first senator to have tested positive for the virus. Two other lawmakers - Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart (R-FL) and Rep. Ben McAdams (D-UT) - announced last week they had tested positive for COVID-19.

Several lawmakers have gone into self-quarantine in recent weeks after interacting with a person who attended the Conservative Political Action Conference last month and who was later hospitalized with coronavirus.

On Saturday, Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence both tested negative for coronavirus. They underwent the test after a staff member of the Vice President’s office had tested positive for coronavirus.

President Donald Trump had previously tested negative for COVID-19. He had taken the test after being in proximity to several people who have tested positive for COVID-19 and interacting with others who have self-quarantined as a precautionary measure.