Texas Governor Greg Abbott tested positive for the coronavirus on Tuesday and is receiving an antibody treatment, although he has no symptoms, the governor's office announced.
Mr Abbott, a Republican, a staunch opponent of the mask and vaccine mandate, has taken his opposition to such requirements to the state's Supreme Court. Mr Abbott, who has been fully vaccinated, will now be isolated at the governor's mansion while receiving monoclonal antibody treatment, which could help patients who are at risk of becoming very ill.
"The governor is conducting tests daily, and today was the first positive test result," the statement said. "Governor Abbott is in constant contact with his staff, agency heads and government."
The announcement came less than a day after Mr. Abbott appeared at a crowded indoor political event hosted by a Republican club in Colin County, a hotbed of fast-growing suburbs north of Dallas.
In images and videos posted by the governor's campaign, Mr Abbott can be seen smiling and shaking hands with supporters who were largely masked. The governor's campaign posted, "Collin County is fired for keeping Texas Red."
According to The Houston Chronicle, Mr Abbott told those gathered that masks were optional - a stance he has taken across Texas, even as cases have risen rapidly and some hospitals are filling at or near capacity. The governor's office did not respond to questions about the incident.
At least 10 other sitting governors - four Democrats and six Republicans - have contracted the virus since the pandemic began, according to reports compiled by Ballotpedia, a political information site. So are four lieutenant governors, all Republicans.
Vaccination rates in Texas lag behind those of many other US states, and deaths are rising, though at a much slower rate than in earlier waves, given that the state's oldest and most vulnerable residents are now vaccinated. has gone. According to the New York Times database, the state has reported an average of more than 15,000 new cases a day till Tuesday, up from an average of more than 10,000 cases a day two weeks ago.
Mr Abbott, 63, has faced criticism as available intensive care beds in Austin and other cities have dwindled. But they retained their ban on the mask mandate, which prevents local officials from imposing restrictions in their communities.
Fear and desperation during the pandemic in Texas, the nation's second most populous state, were preparing to reopen schools, raising concerns about a further spread of the virus.
Last month, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued new guidance, recommending that even fully vaccinated people should wear masks indoors in high-risk areas and that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should attend schools. I must wear one. Mr. Abbott, however, doubled in the opposite direction. He issued an executive order that barred local governments and state agencies from mandating vaccines and reaffirmed decisions prohibiting officials from requiring students to wear masks.
Across the United States, most counties are experiencing either "substantial" or "high" transmission, according to the CDC.
Last week, after Mr Abbott's ban faced at least three legal setbacks, the state's attorney general, Ken Paxton, said he was taking the issue to the state's Supreme Court. The setbacks were in areas with Democratic leaders, rampant cases and rising hospitalizations.
The state's Supreme Court on Sunday sided with the state, ruling that schools cannot make masks mandatory.
Correction: August 17, 2021
Due to an editing error, an earlier version of this item incorrectly referred to guidance recently issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The guidance states that everyone, including those who are fully vaccinated, should wear a mask in a public indoor setting, lest those who are fully vaccinated are not required to do so.