New Mexico governor quarantined after possible virus exposure

SANTA FE, New Mexico -- New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Monday afternoon that she is self-quarantining after potential exposure to Covid-19.

The governor's office said in a statement that a custodian at the governor's mansion who reported feeling ill late last week has tested positive for the coronavirus. 

The statement said the custodian wore a mask at all times, and did not come into personal contact with the governor.

While Lujan Grisham said she tested negative and has no virus symptoms, she will isolate as a precaution.

“We have all seen how quickly Covid-19 can spread, not least in the high-profile example this week provided by the White House. Although we have had good fortune so far in this case, I am not willing to risk the health or safety of my staff or any New Mexican, and therefore I will continue to quarantine until such time as it can be determined with 100 percent certainty that I am not carrying the virus," she said.

The governor and her fiancé will quarantine at home in Santa Fe for at least two weeks, but she still plans to hold a Covid-19 briefing later this week and will do so remotely.

In addition to Lujan Grisham, 37 other people who were potentially in the presence of the infected worker have all tested negative. A second round of testing for the governor and the others is scheduled for Wednesday.