ATLANTA — The entire Georgia General Assembly is being urged to self-quarantine for weeks after a senator tested positive for COVID-19.

Sen. Brandon Beach, R-Alpharetta, tested positive for coronavirus after participating in the vote Monday to ratify the public health emergency declaration, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution confirmed.

Beach was screened Saturday but did not receive test results back until Wednesday. He sought medical attention last week for a mild fever and cough, but the first diagnosis was not coronavirus.

“After experiencing a fever and cough, I sought medical attention last week,” Beach said in a statement. “The diagnosis I was given was not coronavirus but I did get tested for it on Saturday. With medication, I felt better by Monday and thought I was in the clear. Today, however, my test came back positive.”

In an email sent to lawmakers, Senate staff said Beach had displayed symptoms since March 10.

Both Lt. Gov. Geofff Duncan and House Speaker David Ralston sent emails to members, encouraging all to go into self-quarantine until March 30.

Duncan said he himself will be in self-quarantine for the next 14 days after the news.

“I have been told to go into a self-quarantine for the next 14 days,” Duncan said in a press release. “I rest easy knowing that suspending the 2020 session was the right call. We want to protect our members, their families and the individuals they come in contact with daily. The special session on Monday was absolutely necessary to ratify the governor’s public health state of emergency, and we tried to take serious precautions to keep members safe while at the Capitol.”

Beach participated in the vote Monday when the Capitol still had halls full of lawmakers, lobbyists and media. Some lawmakers took to social media to express anger that Beach would come to the Capitol at all given his symptoms.

Rep. Scott Turner, R-Holly Springs, posted on Facebook that he was “shaking with rage” after hearing the news that Beach attended the Capitol special session after displaying symptoms.

“I have an elderly hospice patient at home,” Turner wrote. “(Beach) irresponsibly stayed all day at the Capitol on Monday after being tested on Saturday and exposed all of us.”