PHOENIX (AP) - Another member of the Arizona Legislature has been diagnosed with COVID-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus.
Rep. Arlando Teller of Chinle announced Thursday that he has tested postive for the virus and is isolating and recovering at his home on the Navajo Nation.
The Democrat was elected to a second term in the Arizona House earlier this month.
He is the fifth member of the Legislature to announce they had the disease since the outbreak hit the state early this year. The most serious case involved Rep. Lorenzo Sierra, who spent several days on a ventilator after becoming ill in October. He has now recovered.
Rep. Raquel Teran also became ill in October, while Sen. Lupe Contreras and Rep. JoAnne Osborne revealed their infections earlier in the year. Sierra, Contreras and Teran are Democrats and Osborne is a Republican.
More than 190 state lawmakers nationwide have tested positive for the disease and four have died, according to a tally by The Associated Press.
Teller said in a statement that he learned he tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday after experiencing mild symptoms.
He said he’s been taking precautions to avoid becoming infected as the virus raged across the Navajo Nation but is unsure how he caught what he called a “very contagious, very real” virus.
“I urge Arizonans to take all precautions - wear a mask at all times while out, keep physical distance, and stay at home if you can,” his statement said.
Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms with the coronavirus, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
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