Mississippi house speaker tests positive for COVID-19

WASHINGTON - Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn said Sunday that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus, as he had been in contact with a person who had been tested positive.

"I felt like I needed to go get myself tested just because I had been with this person and this morning was informed that I too have tested positive for COVID," Gunn said in a video on Facebook, adding that he has not shown many symptoms and feels fine.

The official said he has planned self-quarantine and noticed all people he had been in close contact with recently about his testing result. He also urged residents in the state to do the same if they get infected. "We need to make sure that we do everything we can to get this past us as quickly as possible."

Gunn, the presiding officer of the 122-member House, has sometimes worn a mask and sometimes not, according to the Associated Press.