Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam announced Friday that he and his wife, first lady Pamela Northam, have tested positive for COVID-19.
In a news release, officials said the governor had no symptoms of the viral infection while his wife had “mild symptoms.”
“As I’ve been reminding Virginians throughout this crisis, COVID-19 is very real and very contagious,” Gov. Northam said in a statement. “We are grateful for your thoughts and support, but the best thing you can do for us—and most importantly, for your fellow Virginians—is to take this seriously.”
The Northams took coronavirus tests Thursday after learning that a member of the governor’s official residence staff had tested positive for COVID-19. Following guidelines issued by the Virginia Department of Health, the couple plans to isolate for at least the next 10 days.
Northam is the 40th Lieutenant Governor of Virginia from 2014 to 2018 prior to winning the governorship against Republican nominee Ed Gillespie in the 2017 election.