GOP Sen. Chuck Grassley says he's tested positive for COVID-19

Iowa Republican Sen. Chuck Grassley announced on Tuesday that he had tested positive for COVID-19 after admitting earlier in the day that he had been exposed to the virus and was going into quarantine.

"I've tested positive for coronavirus. I'll [be] following my doctors' orders/CDC guidelines [and] continue to quarantine," Grassley said.

"I'm feeling good [and] will keep up on my work for the [people] of Iowa from home. I appreciate everyone's well wishes [and] prayers [and] look [forward] to resuming my normal schedule soon," he added.

The 87-year-old Grassley is the longest-serving Republican in the Senate and has not missed a vote since 1993.

Earlier Tuesday, he said that he had been exposed to the coronavirus but was not exhibiting any symptoms and felt well.

"I learned today that I've been exposed to the coronavirus. I will follow my doctors' orders and immediately quarantine as I await my test results," said Grassley in the statement.

"I'm feeling well and not currently experiencing any symptoms, but it's important we all follow public health guidelines to keep each other healthy," he added.

Grassley is third in the line of succession to the presidency as the president pro tempore of the Senate, just behind House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Vice President Mike Pence.

Six U.S. senators have said that they have contracted the virus.

In July, Grassley told Fox News that the Senate did not need to have a mandatory mask mandate like the one that Pelosi imposed on the House of Representatives because most senators were already wearing masks on their own.

"I think we're covering every base we have to and you don't have to have a rule," he said at the time.

The United States is currently seeing a spike in coronavirus cases and many experts believe the nation is headed into a second wave of the virus.

Here's a Fox News report about Grassley's announcement:

Sen. Chuck Grassley, 87, tests positive for COVID-19www.youtube.com