Washington, March 19: A Florida lawmaker became the first member of the US Congress to test positive for the novel coronavirus on Wednesday.

Representative Mario Diaz-Balart's office said in a statement that "just a short while ago, he was notified that he has tested positive for COVID-19."

The Republican, who represents part of Miami, follows Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who announced that he had tested positive for coronavirus last week.

Diaz-Balart said that he had entered into quarantine and was working from his Washington apartment. Donald Trump Bats for Social Distancing Amid Coronavirus Scare! Know What Does this Term Means and Why it is Important During COVID-19 Outbreak.

"I want everyone to know that I am feeling much better. However, it is important that everyone take this extremely seriously and follow CDC guidelines in order to avoid getting sick and mitigate the spread of this virus," he said. The United States so far has just over 7,300 cases and more than 110 deaths, according to a Johns Hopkins University tracker.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)