Health

Atlanta Mayor Tests Positive For Coronavirus Despite Not Having Symptoms

Paras Griffin/Getty Images for Essence

Font Size:

Democratic Atlanta mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms said Monday that she tested positive for coronavirus.

“COVID-19 has literally hit home,” she wrote in a tweet. “I have had NO symptoms and have tested positive.” (RELATED: ‘No Major Spike In Cases’: NBC Nightly News Airs Segment On Georgia Reopening)

Georgia has had 97,064 confirmed cases of the virus and a death rate of 2.9%, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health. The state lifted coronavirus restrictions beginning April 30, making it one of the first states to reopen.

Bottoms criticized Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp’s decision to open the economy, but said later in May that the reopening was “not as bad” as she thought it would be.

“But I still think it’s too soon to say,” she said on MSNBC, “the reason being, whereas initially we were seeing increases between deaths and people testing positive, rising anywhere from 25 to 30% over a seven-day period.”

“Right now we’re somewhere between 12 and 15%,” she added. “So it’s better than it was, but still not great.”

Protests that erupted after the death of George Floyd escalated after Rayshard Brooks was shot by a police officer June 12 in Atlanta. The Wendy’s where Brooks died was burned to the ground, and rioters destroyed the College Football Hall of Fame.

Last weekend, an 8-year-old girl was shot and killed near the site were Brooks died. Bottoms told protesters to “clear out of that area” following the shooting.

“At a point where an 8-year-old baby is killed, the discussions have ended,” she said Sunday.