U.S. Capitol closed to the public as coronavirus hits Congress

Officials ordered the U.S. Capitol closed to much of the public on Thursday, one day after a staffer for a U.S. senator from Washington state tested positive for the coronavirus.

Limited access to the Capitol would begin at 5 p.m. ET (2100 GMT), the House and Senate Sergeant at Arms said in a statement. The Capitol Visitor Center will be closed and all public tours suspended, they said. Lawmakers, staff and visitors with official business would still be allowed entry, Capitol officials said.

Democratic U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell on Wednesday said she would shutter her Washington, D.C. office after one of her staffers tested positive for COVID-19. Republican Senator Tom Cotton said in a statement on Thursday he was also closing his Washington, D.C. office as a precautionary measure.

"Other congressional employees are likely to test positive in the days ahead," Cotton said in a statement, adding he expected disruptions would be minimal given Congress' scheduled week-long recess that is set to start on Friday.