Arizona state Rep. Lorenzo Sierra off ventilator, recovering from coronavirus
Oct 9, 2020, 4:15 AM
(Twitter Photo/@Sierra4AZ)
(Twitter Photo/@Sierra4AZ)
PHOENIX — Arizona state Rep. Lorenzo Sierra has been taken off the ventilator as he improves while battling coronavirus, according to Sierra’s wife, Rhonda Cagle.
Cagle tweeted Thursday that Sierra is breathing on his own.
“Miracles do happen,” Cagle said. “Still critical, but crossed a milestone. Told him I love him. “I love you more,” he replied; his usual response.”
Sierra and Cagle were visiting family in September in Washington D.C., when they both fell ill with the virus. He went to a Washington hospital on Sunday but was transferred to Johns Hopkins in Baltimore.
Cagle and Sierra tested negative before leaving for Washington and took extensive precautions but still got sick, Cagle wrote on Facebook.
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He is the third lawmaker from Arizona to test positive for the disease. Fellow Democrats U.S. Rep. Raul Grijalva and state Sen. Lupe Contreras also were infected earlier this year.
Sierra represents Legislative District 19, which is made up of Avondale and parts of Phoenix, Goodyear and Tolleson.
Most people experience mild or moderate symptoms with the coronavirus, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
