Anderson Cooper called out of work on Monday because he tested positive for COVID-19. The reporter announced on Instagram that he was carrying the novel coronavirus, but did not elaborate on his condition. He also revealed that both of his children tested negative for the virus.
“Just tested positive for Covid. Thankfully the kids are negative. Hope to get back to work soon,” Cooper wrote in a post on his Instagram story. The announcement was attached to a selfie of Cooper lying in bed in a t-shirt looking somewhat defeated. The reporter has not yet responded to comments asking how he is doing. Many people are still getting asymptomatic cases of COVID-19, but they are advised to isolate for a while to prevent spreading the illness to others.
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Cooper also has not commented on when he might return to work, nor has CNN. On Monday night, anchor John Berman hosted Anderson Cooper 360°. He did not comment on Cooper’s illness, saying only: “I’m John Burman, in for Anderson.”
Cooper broadcasts from the CNN office in Washington, D.C. where a COVID-19 surge is hitting some high-profile public figures. Among them are House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Susan Collins and Sen. Raphael Warnock. Some of these cases have been traced back to a public event at the Gridiron Club on April 2. More than 50 people who attended the event now have COVID-19, including Attorney General Merrick Garland according to a report by Deadline.
On Tuesday, The New York Times daily newsletter generalized that COVID-19 cases are rising throughout the northeastern U.S. This is true in cities like D.C., New York City and Philadelphia, though cases are more scattered in New England. Of course, public health experts are worried that this may signal a greater surge to come.
The surge may be related to the emerging omicron BA.2 variant. The U.S. is not testing or tracing has vigorously as other parts of the world, so it is difficult to say how dominant this variant is. However, scientists warn that these cases should not be taken lightly even if many cases are mild or even asymptomatic. Epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo of Brown University warned the Times that the number of hospitalizations and deaths are likely to lag behind the number of reported cases by a matter of weeks, so it may be too late to act on that information by the time it becomes available. On top of that, the increased availability of at-home tests means that test results are not always reported to public health offices.
Cooper has not posted any new updates since revealing that he tested positive for COVID-19. There’s no word yet on when he may return to the news. Check the CDC’s website for the latest updates and guidance on the COVID-19 pandemic.
