An incoming Republican member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Louisiana died of COVID-19 only days before he was scheduled to be sworn into office.
Congressman-elect Luke Letlow died Tuesday, 11 days after announcing he contracted the virus on December 18. He was hospitalized one day after announcing his positive test, and transferred to the hospital’s intensive care unit last week after his condition worsened despite treatments with steroids and the antiviral remdesivir.
“Congressman-elect Luke Letlow, 41, passed away this evening at Ochsner-LSU Health Shreveport due to complications from COVID-19,” Andrew Bautsch, Letlow’s campaign manager, wrote in a statement. “Letlow was admitted into a Monroe Hospital on December 19 after testing positive for the coronavirus and was transferred to Ochsner-LSU Health on Tuesday, December 22, and placed in intensive care.”
“Letlow is survived by his wife, Julia Barnhill Letlow, Phd., and two young children,” added Bautsch. “The family appreciates the numerous prayers and support over the past days but asks for privacy during this difficult and unexpected time.”
Letlow was elected to represent Louisiana’s 5th Congressional District after winning a runoff election on December 5. Had he been scheduled to be sworn in on Sunday.
Newsweek reached out to the Republican National Committee for comment.
This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available.
The U.S. Capitol building in Washington, D.C. is pictured in this undated file photo. Douglas Rissing/Getty
