Rep. Doug Collins, who toured the CDC with Trump last week, is self-quarantining after interacting with the CPAC coronavirus patient

• Rep. Doug Collins announced Monday that he is quarantining himself after interacting with a person infected by the novel coronavirus at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference.
• Collins shook hands with President Donald Trump last Friday during a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.
• The Republican lawmaker is one of five members of Congress who've announced they're quarantining themselves after interacting with a person infected by the virus.
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Rep. Doug Collins, the top Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, announced Monday that he is quarantining himself after learning that he interacted with a person infected by the new coronavirus at the recent Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC).

Collins shared a long handshake with President Donald Trump last Friday during a tour of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

And he isn't the first person exposed to a coronavirus patient who's interacted with Trump.

Matt Schlapp, CPAC's chairman, confirmed that he had direct contact with the same infected person at CPAC and later greeted and shook hands with Trump. And Rep. Matt Gaetz of Florida, who also interacted with the patient, rode with the president in his motorcade and flew with him on Air Force One on Monday.

Collins and Gaetz are among five members of Congress who, as of Monday afternoon, have announced they're quarantining themselves for the remainder of the 14-day period since their interaction with an infected person.

Two fellow Republicans - Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas, and Rep. Paul Gosar of Arizona - and one Democrat, Rep. Julia Brownley of California, are also closing their offices and isolating themselves. Both Gosar and Cruz also interacted with the infected CPAC attendee.

None of the lawmakers have had symptoms of the virus, but Gaetz announced Monday that he's been tested for it and is awaiting results. As of Monday, the highly contagious virus has infected at least 545 people and killed 22 in the US.

US health officials, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, are urging Americans to limit person-to-person contact, particularly among those 60 years of age or older, who are significantly more vulnerable to the covid-19 illness.