Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Stay on top of the latest market trends
Subscribe to Axios Markets for the latest market trends and economic insights. Sign up for free.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Young arrives for a news conference outside of the Capitol in March 2019. Photo: Bill Clark/CQ Roll Call via Getty Images
Rep. Don Young (R-Alaska), the oldest member of Congress, tweeted Thursday that he has tested positive for COVID-19.
Why it matters: At 87 years old, Young is part of the age group at "greatest risk for severe illness from COVID-19," according to the CDC.
- Young was elected to his 25th term earlier this month, per AP.
- He told Alaska Public Media in September that while he wears a mask, he did not require people attending his campaign events to do so. "Our nation should be responsible for one’s actions," he said at the time.
What he's saying: "I have tested positive for COVID-19. I am feeling strong, following proper protocols, working from home in Alaska, and ask for privacy at this time," Young tweeted Thursday. "May God Bless Alaska."
Flashback: Young initially downplayed the pandemic, joking in March that the coronavirus was the "beer virus," per Alaska Public Media. He later said he did not fully understand the severity of the pandemic.
The big picture: States across the U.S., including Alaska, are seeing surges in new infections.
- Earlier on Thursday, Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy (R) told residents in a video that "like the rest of the nation, Alaska’s COVID-19 status is now in the red.”
- Dunleavy added: “No matter what you believe about the virus, the facts are the facts: Hospitalizations and sick health care workers are reaching untenable levels. ... We must act together now, while we still have choices.”
- Alaska recorded at least 477 new coronavirus cases on Wednesday, per the state's Department of Health and Social Services. At least 100 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 as of Wednesday.
Go deeper: Coronavirus cases rise by 40%