First Gentleman Marlon Reis In Hospital With Worsening COVID-19 Symptoms

· Dec. 6, 2020, 7:13 pm
Jared Polis, accompanied by his husband Marlon Reis, takes the oath of office for governor administered by Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats on Jan. 8. Polis is the country’s first openly gay man to be elected as any state’s top executive.Jared Polis, accompanied by his husband Marlon Reis, takes the oath of office for governor administered by Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan B. Coats on Jan. 8. Polis is the country’s first openly gay man to be elected as any state’s top executive.Hart Van Denburg/CPR News
Marlon Reis stands in between his partner Jared Polis and Colorado Supreme Court Chief Justice Nathan Coates, as Polis takes the oath of office for governor, on Jan. 8, 2019.

Update Dec. 9: First gentleman Marlon Reis was discharged from the hospital on Dec. 8. Our original story continues below.


Gov. Jared Polis' office announced Sunday evening that first gentleman Marlon Reis has entered the hospital because his COVID-19 infection appears to be growing more severe.

The press release said that in the previous 24 hours, Reis experienced shortness of breath and a worsening cough. Polis drove him to the hospital in his personal vehicle.

The governor's symptoms have not escalated, according to his office.

Polis and Reis tested positive for coronavirus eight days ago and went into isolation at home. Their symptoms were reportedly mild, until Reis worsened this weekend. Polis has continued to hold virtual press conferences, and on Thursday posted a video of himself signing bills from the special session, then spraying them with disinfectant.

“It’s a potentially deadly game of odds," Polis told CPR on shortly after his diagnosis, "and the odds are that Marlon and I won’t have to go to the hospital.”

In an interview with Colorado Matters on Friday, Polis said he and Reis were mostly through the woods.

"I think we had mild symptoms. I've had trouble sleeping and Marlon had headaches for a couple of days, but I think we're through it," he said.

He added that for people in their 40s, it's about a 5 percent chance of hospitalization.

"But that's still pretty scary," Polis said.

This is a developing story and may be updated.

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