The leader of Vox, a right-wing political party in Spain, announced Thursday on Twitter that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
On Twitter, Santiago Abascal said he quarantined himself after learning that Vox General Secreatry Javier Ortega Smith tested positive for COVID-19, and that he also took a test which came out positive. He went on to say that he would be working from home and feels okay for now. (RELATED: Sen. Lindsey Graham To Self-Quarantine As President Of Brazil Awaits Results For Coronavirus.)
Este martes, al conocer el positivo de Javier Ortega, me puse en cuarentena y pedí a un laboratorio privado un test de Covid-19. La prueba también ha dado positivo así que seguiré trabajando desde casa. Gracias por vuestra preocupación aunque me encuentro razonablemente bien.
— Santiago Abascal (@Santi_ABASCAL) March 12, 2020
Abascal attended the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) at the end of Febuary, but he told the Daily Caller that he believes he contracted the coronavirus on March 8th at a massive poltical rally in Spain that Ortega Smith also attended. Video surfaced of Ortega Smith coughing near Abascal at the event.
Abascal says he attended CPAC February 26th-28th during his visit to Washington D.C.
Santiago Abascal, leader of the far-right Spanish opposition party Vox, has tested positive for #Covid_19. He was at CPAC and met with many GOP members in their offices on the Hill, including Sen. Ron Johnson, Rep. Chris Smith and Senator Ted Cruz. pic.twitter.com/6TDU7BmqKV
— Daniel Medina (@dmedin11) March 12, 2020
The Vox party leader told the Daily Caller that Ortega Smith tested positive for coronavirus on March 10th, which inspired him to get tested despite not having any symptoms. He says he took the test on March 12th.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.