Two state representatives positive for COVID-19

Morning light hits the dome of the Massachusetts State House.Craig F. Walker/Globe Staff

Two state representatives tested positive for COVID-19 Friday, and all State House offices used Tuesday or Thursday will be deep-cleaned before they can be used again, the speaker of the House said.

Speaker Robert A. DeLeo’s Friday night e-mail to House members, which was obtained by the Globe, did not identify the legislators infected with the virus, citing medical privacy laws.

DeLeo wrote that the infected lawmakers had last been at the State House on Thursday, and that any member or staffer who had close contact with them had been notified.

The House will implement its COVID-19 response protocol, which requires “a comprehensive environmental cleaning” for the House chamber, infected members' work areas, and any offices that were used Tuesday or Thursday, he said.

“We fully understand that, for some, receiving an email of this nature can cause anxiety,” he wrote. “Our intent is not to cause anxiety, but rather, as previously promised, to provide you with updated information that may help you. We hope that this information (being made available as soon as we had it) will provide some peace of mind in this uncertain time.”

With coronavirus cases on the rise, there will likely be more infections in the chamber, DeLeo said, pledging that the House will notify members and staff of any future infections and activate the response protocol.

In a separate statement Friday night, the office of Senate President Karen E. Spilka said a person who had been on the Senate side of the State House had been in close contact with someone who does not work there who tested positive for the virus.

But the person who was present in the State House has tested negative, according to the statement.

“Although there are currently no confirmed cases in the Senate, out of an abundance of caution, those who had been in contact with the person have been notified,” the statement said. “Impacted rooms will also undergo an environmental cleaning.”

Matt Stout of the Globe staff contributed to this report.