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Minnesota's Hagedorn, others attended Republican conference where coronavirus was present

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been contacting individuals who may have come into contact with the infected person at CPAC.

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U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn, R-Minn.

ST. PAUL — Several officials from Minnesota and North Dakota attended a February conference for Republican lawmakers in Maryland, where one attendant was confirmed to have COVID-19 , the respiratory illness caused by coronavirus.

Among Republican power players President Donald Trump and Vice President Mike Pence, Forum News Service confirmed on Tuesday, March 10, that Minnesota's U.S. Rep. Jim Hagedorn attended the American Conservative Union's Conservative Political Action Conference in Maryland in February. Hagedorn announced earlier in February that he has stage four kidney cancer.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have been contacting individuals who may have come into contact with the infected person at CPAC. Hagedorn spokesperson Jake Murphy said the CDC has not contacted Hagedorn with concerns, and that Hagedorn "feels great."

Murphy elaborated that, according to reports, the symptomatic attendee was at CPAC on Thursday. Hagedorn attended a reception Wednesday and a media row on Friday, but not Thursday.

Jennifer Carnahan, chairwoman of the Minnesota Republican Party and Hagedorn's wife, did not attend CPAC. Minnesota GOP spokesperson Becky Alery said Tuesday that Carnahan has "no symptoms of any illness" and is "focused on delivering Republican victories in 2020. " Carnahan will still make her scheduled appearance in suburban Eagan Tuesday evening.

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Minnesota's two other Republican U.S. congressmen, U.S. Reps. Tom Emmer, R-District 6, and Pete Stauber, R-District 8, confirmed to Forum News Service that they did not attend CPAC. No congressmen from North Dakota or South Dakota were in attendance, either, nor were the North Dakota Republican Gov. Doug Burgum and South Dakota's Republican Gov. Kristi Noem.

Spokesperson for the Minnesota state Senate, Rachel Aplikowski, said on Monday that state Sen. Jeff Howe, R-Rockville, attended CPAC. She said Howe has been tested for coronavirus and was confirmed negative.

From North Dakota, state Rep. Rick Becker, R-Bismarck, attended. He said Monday that, "Because the infected person was not in the general session, I have minimal concern."

"It is my belief, however, that it is more widespread than currently thought, and increased testing will show that," Becker continued. "The best thing to do is behave like you would for a serious strain of influenza."

According to Politico , the ACU confirmed on Saturday that one CPAC attendant tested positive for the virus. Coronavirus is a contagious virus that can cause the respiratory illness COVID-19.

As of Monday afternoon , the Minnesota Department of Health has tested 82 patients since March 2. All but three cases — one each in Anoka, Carver and Ramsey counties — have been negative. Late Tuesday afternoon, Noem announced in a news conference that five South Dakotans tested positive for the virus, and one elderly patient has died. Zero cases have been found in North Dakota as of Tuesday.

Globally, 111,000 have been diagnosed with the virus, and 3,800 deaths have died of the illness. In the United States, 22 patients have died out of 556 total cases as of Monday afternoon.

Reporter Matt Stolle contributed to this report.

Mearhoff is a Minnesota Capitol Correspondent for Forum News Service. You can reach her at smearhoff@forumcomm.com or 651-290-0707.

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