Anderson Cooper missed his CNN program tonight after saying on social media that he has tested positive for Covid.
“Just tested positive for Covid,” Cooper posted on Instagram. “Thankfully the kids are negative. Hope to get back to work soon.”
The veteran host has two sons: toddler Wyatt and 2-month-old Sebastian.
Cooper did not mention whether he is symptomatic, and neither he nor CNN gave a timeframe for his return to the cable news outlet. John Berman filled in tonight on Anderson Cooper 360°, opening the 8 p.m. ET show by saying only, “I’m John Burman, in for Anderson.”
Cooper’s news amid a wave of Covid cases hitting high-profile folks in Washington, D.C., of late. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) and Sen. Raphael Warnock (D-GA) are among those who tested positive in recent days. Attorney General Merrick Garland was among the more than 50 people who attended an April 2 dinner at the Gridiron Club to later test positive for the disease.
Broadway Mask And Covid Vaccine Mandates Will Remain At Least Through April 30
There also has been an outbreak among the Broadway community in recent weeks. Just this morning, Paradise Square, Macbeth and A Strange Loop announced Covid-related performance cancellations. The Plaza Suite revival added five make-up performances after its stars Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker both tested positive recently.
The spate of new cases comes as the highly transmissible Covid BA.2 Omicron variant has become the dominant strain of the disease in recent months. It also accounts for the majority of new cases in the Los Angeles area, where the numbers spiked by nearly 80% last week.