Name: Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in quarantine after security staff catches coronavirus
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Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in quarantine after security staff catches coronavirus

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Nashville Tennessean Tennessee Gov Bill Lee announced Wednesday that he and his wife would quarantine at home, likely for two weeks, after being&nbsp;exposed to a member of his security detail who fell ill and tested positive for coronavirus earlier that day.During a video news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Lee said he tested negative for the virus&nbsp;since his exposure&nbsp;and currently felt no symptoms or illness. First lady Maria Lee tweeted on Wednesday evening that she also tested negative."Maria and I are feeling fine. We've received a lot of messages from a lot of folks," the governor said. "We are not sick and&nbsp;hope that we don't become that way. But we will certainly keep you posted along the way."Despite Lee's negative test, it is possible the governor could have contracted the virus but be too early in his infection for it to be&nbsp;detected by a test. Generally, coronavirus tests are more reliable about&nbsp;four or five days into an infection.&nbsp;To account for this, the governor said he expected to be tested "on a regular basis over the next few days"&nbsp;and to remain in quarantine for 14 days. Lee said he would ultimately follow advice of the Tennessee Department of Health pertaining to tests and quarantine.The governor's security detail consists of Tennessee Highway Patrol officers who are frequently at Lee's&nbsp;side in groups of one to three and travel with him wherever he goes.One member did not report to work on Wednesday because he felt ill, then sought out a test and confirmed he was infected with the virus, Lee said. The source of the officer's infection was not clear as of Wednesday afternoon, Lee said.The governor and the first lady were last in contact with this officer on Tuesday&nbsp;and were alerted to the positive test during the "late morning" on Wednesday, Lee said.Based on that timeline, the governor and the first lady were unaware they were exposed to the virus when they participated in two recent public events.&nbsp;Lee attended a Tuesday evening fundraiser for state Sen. Becky Massey, R-Knoxville, which was also attended by Lt. Gov. Randy McNally, R-Oak Ridge.&nbsp;A photo from the event shows all three politicians posing for a photograph while unmasked.Maria Lee on Wednesday morning toured Westwood Elementary School in the city of Manchester, where Mayor Lonnie Norman died from coronavirus earlier this week. Lee said he was not made aware of the positive test until after is wife left for Manchester.The governor's exposure comes as Tennessee’s coronavirus outbreak, which largely flattened in recent months, shows signs of growth, .&nbsp;Tennessee’s average test positivity rate has ticked upwards – from 6.5% to 7.3% – since the start of the month, and the number of active infections in Tennessee has increased more than 40% since a low point on Oct. 3.Tennessee Health Commissioner Dr. Lisa Piercey said new&nbsp;infections were shifting to older populations, which are generally more susceptible to the virus. Previously, most infections had been among people who are in their "upper 20s or low 30s,"&nbsp;she said, but now the average age of a newly infected Tennessean is 43."Our antenna are up, and we are watching, but we are not to a point where we are panicked by any stretch of the imagination," Piercey said.Brett Kelman is the health care reporter for The Tennessean. He can be reached at 615-259-8287 or at brett.kelman@tennessean.com. Follow him on Twitter at @brettkelman.

Nashville Tennessean Tennessee Gov Bill Lee announced Wednesday that he and his wife would quarantine at home, likely for two weeks, after being&nbsp;exposed to a member of his security detail who fell ill and tested positive for coronavirus earlier that day.During a video news conference on Wednesday afternoon, Lee said he tested negative for the virus&nbsp;since his exposure&nbsp;and currently felt no symptoms or illness. First lady Maria Lee tweeted on Wednesday evening that she also tested negative."Maria and I are feeling fine. We've received a lot of messages from a lot of folks," the...

Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee in quarantine after security staff catches coronavirus

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