The virus sending panic across the globe has made its mark on the Bronx political scene.
City Councilman Ritchie Torres announced on March 17 that he has tested positive for the coronavirus.
In a March 17 Tweet, Torres wrote “Last night, I found out that I had tested positive for #COVID19. Over the weekend, I learned that a senior staff member had tested positive after experiencing symptoms for several days. All members of my staff have quarantined themselves & are now closely monitoring their health.
One of Torres’ opponents in the congressional race, former Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito, replied with a Tweet of her own, saying “Wishing you strength during this time Ritchie. And wishing the same to your staff. I make myself avaialble for whatever any of you may need. We are one city and we are all in this together.”
Torres is considered a frontrunner by many in the race to replace Rep. Jose E. Serrano in the 15th congressional district, which includes the South Bronx. As of the end of December, Torres had $932,000 on hand for his campaign, according to the Federal Election Commission. The runner up, Assemblyman Michael Blake, had raised just under $165,000.
Current Council Speaker Corey Johnson released a statement shortly after news of Torres’ status, saying “As soon as we found out, we held a conference call with members so they could be informed and alert their staffs.“The Council is also working to find people who have been in contact with Council Member Torres to alert them to his condition in order for them to self-isolate if necessary.”
This story was updated on March 19.