Valley congressman-elect tests positive for coronavirus. How he plans to handle his workload

California congressman-elect David Valadao, headed back to the House of Representatives after a narrow victory in November, said Friday that he had tested positive for the coronavirus.

Making his announcement via Twitter, Valadao said the result came via a rapid antigen test for COVID-19.

The 43-year-old said he is waiting on results from a PCR test, considered more reliable but slower to process, and will quarantine in the meantime while working from home.

“The safety of my staff and fellow members of Congress is extremely important to me, so I’ll be hard at work for California’s 21st Congressional District here at home in Hanford.”

Valadao could not be reached for additional comment.

PCR tests, also called molecular tests, are considered more reliable because they produce fewer false negative results.

Valadao, a Republican, edged incumbent U.S. Rep. T.J. Cox, D-Fresno, in November to reclaim his job as the District 21 representative. Valadao held the seat from 2013-2019, losing to Cox in even closer race in November 2018.

District 21 represents Kings County and parts of Fresno, Tulare and Kern counties.

Since the first cases of the coronavirus were reported last spring, at least 11 senators and 39 members of the House have tested positive for coronavirus or for its antibodies, according to a CNN report.

That includes fellow central San Joaquin Valley congressman Devin Nunes, R-Tulare, who said in December that he had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies.

This story was originally published January 1, 2021 at 7:36 PM.