Richland County lawmaker tests positive for COVID-19, says he’s had ‘mild’ symptoms
A South Carolina lawmaker has tested positive for the novel COVID-19 virus and, in a warning to others, says he has no idea how he became infected.
State Rep. Kambrell Garvin, D-Richland, confirmed he tested positive for coronavirus in May, but said he is doing fine and has only had “mild” symptoms. Garvin is the only state lawmaker so far to say he has tested positive for the virus.
Garvin, 28, said he felt sick on May 26, and based on his symptoms immediately quarantined.
He was tested for the virus the next day, he said, and learned Friday his results were positive.
“How I contracted this contagion will probably forever be a mystery,” Garvin said in a statement. “However, one thing is abundantly clear: if I can get it, so can you.”
Speaking with The State on Monday, Garvin said his symptoms started small with mucus build-up in his chest but then by last Tuesday afternoon, his symptoms worsened into a fever, lost of taste and cold chills.
“I knew something wasn’t right the first night,” Garvin said. “I woke up in a cold sweat. I felt dehydrated. I found some Gatorade, but I knew something wasn’t right at that point. We hear folks talk about at night crazy dreams, all those are certainly true.”
Garvin, who said his wife has also tested positive, said his self-quarantine will end Saturday.
“I feel substantially better,” said Garvin, who did not need to be hospitalized. “I still have a dry cough. But other than that cough, the fever has broken.”
Garvin said he wanted to share his diagnosis publicly to warn and caution other.
“Call me uber-liberal if you like, but I’ve been wearing gloves, masks, social distancing and avoiding large gatherings,” he said.
Richland County has been hit particularly hard by COVID-19, recording 1,518 positive cases and 66 deaths as of the weekend.
As of Monday, South Carolina has logged 12,148 positive COVID-19 cases since the state’s public health agency recorded its first positive cases back in March. Of those cases, 500 have resulted in death, according to health officials.
The virus has disproportionately affected black South Carolinians.
Though African Americans make up 27% of the state’s population, black South Carolinians make up 44% percent of positive COVID-19 cases and 55% of COVID-19-related deaths in the state.
“By reintegrating into our regular, nonessential activities, far too many have a false sense of security and normalcy and have since thrown caution to the wind,” Garvin said. “To my constituents, Richland County continues to be a hotbed for this virus and as a result of our economy ‘reopening’ and social distancing practices becoming lax, the probability of contraction will greatly increase.”
This story was originally published June 1, 2020 at 11:03 AM.
