Mississippi Speaker tests positive for coronavirus as cases soar in US

Mississippi House Speaker Philip Gunn says he has tested positive for the coronavirus as state health officials report more than 200 new infections and five deaths linked to the pandemic.

Gunn, a Republican, said in a video posted Sunday to Facebook that he got tested because he had been in close proximity to another member of the House who 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. I feel very fortunate that I don't really have very many symptoms and feel fine.

Gunn said he called everyone that he had been in close proximity to recently to let them know of his diagnosis and planned to self-quarantine. Gunn is the state's highest-ranking political figure to publicly disclose a positive test for the coronavirus. He did not say who the other House member was. The Mississippi Department of Health posted its latest coronavirus statistics Sunday.

The state recorded 226 new cases through Saturday bringing the total number of confirmed and probable infections to 30,900 across the state. Five more people also died from COVID-19.