Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who became one of the first U.S. elected officials to test positive for the new coronavirus, is trying to reassure people about the experience.
"I want them to see what it's like because I know there's a lot of fear and anxiety," he said Friday on The South Florida Roundup.
Suarez has been live-blogging his COVID-19 experience daily. As of Sunday, it's been three days since he was diagnosed with the illness.
"I took two temperature readings, at 98 [degrees]," he said on Twitter. "Mild to no symptoms. Hopefully they remain mild."
It’s now day three since I’ve been diagnosed with COVID-19, and I’m feeling healthy and strong. Check out my latest digital journal for the full update. pic.twitter.com/qr5lgxaXwo— Mayor Francis Suarez (@FrancisSuarez) March 15, 2020
Eighty percent of known COVID-19 cases have mild to moderate illness, according to a report by a joint World Health Organization-China mission.
As an elected official, Suarez shakes a lot of people's hands. He said that everybody who has come into direct contact with him has tested negative for the virus.
He said his immediate family — parents, wife and kids — have also tested negative.
According to the Miami Herald, Suarez attended an event last week with a Brazilian aide who had tested positive for COVID-19. Several other U.S. politicians — including Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Sen. Rick Scott and President Donald Trump — were also there.
Both Trump and Gimenez have tested negative for the virus. Scott said he self-quarantined.
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