Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tests positive for Covid-19

By Chandelis Duster and Kristina Sgueglia, CNN

Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan tested positive for Covid-19, he tweeted Monday.

“I am feeling fine at the moment,” said Hogan, who is vaccinated and has received a booster shot. The test was part of his regular testing routine, said Hogan, a Republican.

“As the Omicron variant becomes dominant, I want to urge you to get vaccinated or get your booster shot as soon as possible,” Hogan tweeted, along with a link to the state’s resources.

CNN reached out to Hogan’s office for additional comment on Monday.

Hogan was diagnosed in 2015 with non-Hodgkins lymphoma, a form of cancer, and earlier this year underwent surgery to remove early stage basal and squamous cell carcinoma on his face and shoulder.

The Republican governor’s announcement follows a string of lawmakers, who have also been fully vaccinated and boosted, who report they have tested positive for Covid-19. It also comes as health officials warn the US is headed for tough winter amid a rise in coronavirus cases and as the Omicron variant raises concerns.

Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, told CNN’s Jake Tapper on “State of the Union” Sunday the new Omicron variant is “going to take over” and urged Americans to not only get vaccinated but to also get their booster shots.

According to the World Health Organization, Omicron cases are doubling every 1.5 to 3 days with documented spread. And in the US, it’s expected to become the “dominant strain” in the coming weeks, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Director Rochelle Walensky said Friday.

This story has been updated with additional background information.

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CNN’s Dakin Andone contributed to this report.