U.S. Senators Wicker and King test positive for COVID-19

(Fixes typographical error in first paragraph, symptoms instead of systems)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) -Two U.S. senators – Republican Roger Wicker of Mississippi and independent Angus King of Maine – tested positive for COVID-19 on Thursday after experiencing what their offices described as mild symptoms.

Wicker, the top Republican on the Democratic-led Senate Commerce Committee, was fully vaccinated against COVID-19, had experienced mild symptoms, is in good health and is being treated by his Mississippi-based physician, his office said. Wicker is 70.

King, 77, was tested as a precaution after he began feeling unwell on Wednesday, his office said.

“While I am not feeling great, I’m definitely feeling much better than I would have without the vaccine,” King said in a statement, adding that he “began feeling mildly feverish” on Wednesday.

The Senate last week wrapped up its work in Washington for the month and is set to return for legislative business on Sept. 13.

More than 70 members of the House of Representatives and Senate have been diagnosed with COVID-19, according to Govtrack, a nonpartisan organization.

U.S. Representative Ron Wright, 67, died in February after testing positive for COVID-19 the prior month, making the Texas Republican the first member of the U.S. Congress to die from the disease.

Republican Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina said this month he tested positive, also despite being vaccinated. Graham completed a 10-day self quarantine and returned to the Senate.

Other U.S. senators who previously have tested positive and recovered include Rick Scott of Florida, Mike Lee of Utah, Rand Paul of Kentucky, Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Chuck Grassley of Iowa and Bill Cassidy of Louisiana.

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