Mar 7, 2020 - Politics & Policy

CPAC attendee tested positive for coronavirus

Trump at the annual Conservative Political Action Conference, Feb. 29. Photo: Tasos Katopodis/Getty Images

A CPAC 2020 attendee tested positive for the novel coronavirus in New Jersey on Saturday, the American Conservative Union confirmed, indicating that the attendee's exposure to the virus took place prior to the conference.

Why it matters: CPAC speakers included President Trump, Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.

Details: "This attendee had no interaction with the president or the vice president and never attended the events in the main hall," the ACU statement reads. "The Trump administration is aware of the situation, and we will continue regular communication with all appropriate government officials."

  • The attendee is currently under medical care in New Jersey and being quarantined.
  • CPAC was held at the Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Maryland.
  • At least two people in New Jersey have tested positive for COVID-19 as of Friday, per the New York Times.

Go deeper... Coronavirus updates: U.S. death toll hits 19

Editor's note: This story has been corrected to reflect that while HHS Secretary Alex Azar was scheduled to speak at CPAC, he was unable to due to meetings at the White House, according to a spokesperson.

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