Minnesota Legal professional Normal Keith Ellison, who was exterior the nation, examined constructive for COVID-19 earlier than boarding a aircraft again to the U.S. In an announcement Wednesday night time, Ellison mentioned that he's at the moment quarantining in place and can finally return to the U.S.

"I am working remotely as regular whereas isolating in place and can journey residence when it is protected to take action," he wrote within the assertion.

Eliison mentioned that he was visiting household exterior the U.S. however didn't specify precisely the place. He wrote that he "had no motive to imagine I used to be constructive till I took a compulsory COVID take a look at that was required for me to board the aircraft residence."

"I used to be shocked to seek out that it was constructive, as a result of as much as that time, I had skilled no signs," Ellison mentioned, including that he has since developed virus signs.

The lawyer normal mentioned that he's "grateful" to be absolutely vaccinated and to have obtained his booster shot as a result of his signs are "nothing worse than a light chilly." Ellison cited his case as "proof" concerning the effectiveness of vaccines.

"The science is obvious: vaccines and booster pictures make COVID signs gentle and manageable for many of us if we do contract the virus," he wrote in his assertion.

He inspired all eligible Minnesota residents to make the most of the COVID-19 vaccines "for yourselves, in your households and family members, in your group, and for the sake of our healthcare system." That is particularly vital with the fast unfold of the extremely contagious Omicron variant, he mentioned.

"The extra Minnesotans who're vaccinated, the extra we'll all get via to the opposite aspect of the Omicron wave safely. That is how we look after one another as Minnesotans and human beings," he wrote.

Minnesota AG COVID Positive
Minnesota Legal professional Normal Keith Ellison, who was exterior the nation, examined constructive for COVID-19 earlier than boarding a aircraft again to the U.S. Above, Ellison publicizes expenses towards former Minneapolis cops in connection to the dying of George Floyd on June 3, 2020, in St. Paul, Minnesota.Scott Olson/Getty Pictures

Ellison is the third statewide elected official in Minnesota to contract COVID-19 in latest months, KSTP-TV reported. Governor Tim Walz examined constructive for the virus in December, whereas Lieutenant Governor Peggy Flanagan examined constructive in October.

His workplace has led the prosecution of the previous cops linked to the killing of George Floyd, a Black man whose dying sparked nationwide protests and requires racial justice.

After former officer Derek Chauvin was sentenced in June for the dying of Floyd, Ellison mentioned that it is "tough to see anybody lose their freedom, however seeing any person lose their life via torture over 9 and a half minutes is incomparably worse," NPR reported.

"My hope is that he takes the time to be taught one thing concerning the man whose life he took and concerning the motion that rose as much as name for justice within the wake of George Floyd's torture and dying," he added.

The Related Press contributed to this report.

Ellison Positive for COVID
Minnesota Legal professional Normal Keith Ellison is the third statewide elected official in Minnesota to contract COVID-19 in latest months. Above, Ellison speaks to media exterior the Hennepin County Household Justice Middle after a pretrial listening to for the 4 former Minneapolis cops charged within the dying of George Floyd on September 11, 2020, in Minneapolis.Stephen Maturen/Getty Pictures