SANTA FE – A Republican lawmaker in the New Mexico House of Representatives and four employees at the state Capitol have tested positive for COVID-19 in the last week, officials said.
House Republican spokesperson Matthew Garcia-Sierra said in an email on Thursday that he was “informed one of our members tested positive, and I am also aware that there were four other positive cases.”
Garcia-Sierra said Republican leaders are speaking with the state Department of Health about how to proceed. He also said Republican lawmakers and staff members have been told to stay home on Friday.
Republican House Minority Leader Jim Townsend said the male lawmaker, who was not named, is asymptomatic and doing fine.
Democratic House Speaker Brian Egolf said he is ordering the closure of committee rooms in the Capitol to limit gatherings and is limiting the number of lawmakers allowed on the House floor. House members were already participating virtually under rules adopted on Monday.
Egolf issued a statement Thursday night, wishing for a “fast and full recovery” for those who were infected.
“My office is taking this situation very seriously, and the Department of Health is conducting the necessary contact tracing to identify any additional positive cases in order to prevent further spread,” he said.
The cases came two weeks into a mostly virtual 60-day legislative session. Administrators decided before the session began to require everyone but lawmakers to receive weekly COVID-19 tests before being admitted into the building, including staff and members of the media.
The next Senate floor session in the Capitol is scheduled for Monday. The next House floor session is scheduled for Tuesday.
