Rep. Paul Gosar (R-AZ) announced on Sunday evening that he and his staff had sustained contact with a person who had been diagnosed with the coronavirus, and that his office would be closed all week.
“I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus,” Gosar tweeted. “My office will be closed for the week.”
1. I am announcing that I, along with 3 of my senior staff, are officially under self-quarantine after sustained contact at CPAC with a person who has since been hospitalized with the Wuhan Virus. My office will be closed for the week.
— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) March 9, 2020
“We are all asymptomatic and feel great. But we are being proactive and cautious,” Gosar continued. “Keep the person in the hospital in your prayers. We are in touch with the CDC and the White House. They are doing a great job staying on top of this.”
3. Keep the person in the hospital in your prayers. We are in touch with the CDC and the White House. They are doing a great job staying on top of this.
— Paul Gosar (@DrPaulGosar) March 9, 2020
Far-left MSNBC host Chris Hayes rushed to attack Gosar for calling the coronavirus the “Wuhan Virus,” despite the fact that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo has repeatedly referred to the coronavirus as the “Wuhan Virus.”
“Just astoundingly gross to call it the Wuhan Virus,” Hayes tweeted.
Just astoundingly gross to call it the Wuhan Virus. https://t.co/cMrsA59xTH
— Chris Hayes (@chrislhayes) March 9, 2020
Hayes’ eagerness to pounce on the opportunity to attack a Republican member of Congress for using the term “Wuhan Virus” comes despite the fact that even left-wing media has referred to the coronavirus as the “Wuhan Virus.”
CNN tweeted in late January, “Of all the aspects of the rapidly spreading Wuhan virus, this is perhaps the most alarming: A single patient has infected 14 health care workers. That’s what’s called a “super spreader” – and identifying them is a key element of fighting the virus.”
Of all the aspects of the rapidly spreading Wuhan virus, this is perhaps the most alarming: A single patient has infected 14 health care workers. That's what's called a "super spreader" — and identifying them is a key element of fighting the virus. https://t.co/PfxvY35AAc
— CNN (@CNN) January 23, 2020
In February, CNN wrote a piece titled: “Chen Qiushi spoke out about the Wuhan virus. Now his family and friends fear he’s been silenced.”
Online, Hayes and other far-left activists in the media received criticism over their remarks and for trying to portray the remarks as racist.
Angela Morabito noted: “Ebola was named for a river in the Congo. Zika, for a forest in Uganda. Lyme disease for Lyme, Connecticut. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and West Nile Virus also fit the bill.”
Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and West Nile Virus also fit the bill.
— Angela Morabito (@AngelaLMorabito) March 9, 2020
Political strategist Drew Holden tweeted: “Y’all gonna come up with another name for MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) too, while you’re at it? This faux drama is just astoundingly stupid.”
Y’all gonna come up with another name for MERS (Middle East respiratory syndrome) too, while you’re at it?
This faux drama is just astoundingly stupid. https://t.co/m6vnvXCbkM
— Drew Holden (@DrewHolden360) March 9, 2020
New York Post reporter Jon Levine tweeted: “Virus originated in Wuhan. Calm down. Not everything needs to be a social justice crisis.”
Virus originated in Wuhan. Calm down. Not everything needs to be a social justice crisis https://t.co/5gPpBkRFfj
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) March 9, 2020
Human Events Managing Editor Ian Miles Cheong responded to a tweet from an MSNBC reporter who declared that the term was “racist” by writing, “I call it the Wuhan Virus. I’m Chinese. I must be suffering from a serious case of internalized racism.”
Cheong concluded: “Someone should show David his own tweet about the Ebola Virus, which was named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.”
Someone should show David his own tweet about the Ebola Virus, which was named after a river in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. pic.twitter.com/DTpCPBSaoW
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 9, 2020
Cheong added: “The ‘racist’ narrative against calling the Wuhan Virus by its colloquial name is one put forth by the Chinese government to absolve them of any responsibility for letting the outbreak spread. And the media is propagating it.”
The "racist" narrative against calling the Wuhan Virus by its colloquial name is one put forth by the Chinese government to absolve them of any responsibility for letting the outbreak spread. And the media is propagating it.
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) March 9, 2020
This report has been updated to include additional information.