Ayanna Pressley tests positive for COVID-19

Ayanna Pressley tests positive for COVID-19

Rep. Ayanna Pressley tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.

The Massachusetts Democrat, a prominent member of the far-left “Squad,” said she contracted the virus despite being vaccinated and boosted.

“After experiencing COVID-like symptoms, this morning I received a positive breakthrough COVID-19 test result,” she said in a statement. “Thankfully, my symptoms are relatively mild, and I am grateful to be fully vaccinated and boosted.”

The lawmaker promoted the vaccines and encouraged people to mask and socially distance when needed.

Ms. Pressley is among several lawmakers who have contracted the virus in recent weeks.

More than 10 lawmakers have tested positive for COVID-19 since Dec. 18 alone.

Since the start of the pandemic, more than 50 members of Congress have contracted the virus.

The U.S. this week hit a seven-day average of 265,427 daily cases, soaring past the previous record of 252,000, according to a Wall Street Journal analysis of Johns Hopkins University data.

Dr. Rochelle Walensky, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, blamed the 60% rise in cases on the quickly spreading omicron variant.

“In a few short weeks, omicron has rapidly increased across the country, and we expect it will continue to circulate in the coming weeks,” Dr. Walensky said.