Riverside pastor confirms coronavirus diagnosis after attending White House event

Evangelical megachurch pastor Greg Laurie was diagnosed with COVID-19 following a recent White House visit, he announced on Monday.

Laurie, head of Riverside-based Harvest Christian Fellowship, tested positive for the virus Friday, according to the church. He lives in Newport Beach.

Laurie had been with President Donald Trump and others for an event last week hailing the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett to the U.S. Supreme Court. Besides Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, several other White House and congressional officials who attended White House events for Barrett tested positive for the coronavirus.

Media coverage of the events show many of the attendees, including Laurie, were unmasked and shook hands.

"It started with some fatigue that I was feeling, aches and pains and a fever, and then I found out the news I didn't want to find out: that I actually have the coronavirus," Laurie shared in a video posted on social media.

Laurie said he's been doing okay, and he said, "I just wish that at a
time like this we cannot politicize something like this and show compassion
to people that are struggling. This is real. This is a pandemic that has swept
our nation and even the world. If the president of the United States can get
it, obviously anybody can get it.''

Under doctor's orders, Laurie said he is in quarantine with mild symptoms.

"With God's help and your prayers I expect to get through it," he said.

Trump had been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment and observation after being diagnosed with coronavirus Friday. However, he checked out Monday and returned to the White House, saying there was no reason to "be afraid of COVID.''