Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain in hospital after testing positive for COVID-19

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A file image dated Nov. 11, 2019 shows former presidential candidate Herman Cain at the premiere of the film "No Safe Spaces" at TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tullberg/Getty Images)

ATLANTA - Former Republican presidential candidate Herman Cain was hospitalized Wednesday after testing positive for the novel coronavirus.

Cain, 74, was told Monday that he had tested positive for virus, according to a statement shared on his Twitter account. By Wednesday, he had “developed symptoms serious enough that he required hospitalization.”

The statement said he is being treated at an Atlanta-area hospital. Cain, who hosts a regular show on Newsmax TV, was “awake and alert” and not on a ventilator as of Thursday afternoon.

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“There is no way of knowing for sure how or where Mr. Cain contracted the coronavirus,” the statement added.

On June 20, Cain attended a campaign rally for President Donald Trump in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and posted a photo from inside the venue. Cain was not wearing a mask.

“Here’s just a few of the #BlackVoicesForTrump at tonight’s rally! Having a fantastic time,” the tweet was captioned.

Cain, the former CEO of Godfather Pizza, ran for the GOP presidential nomination in 2012 on his “9-9-9” tax plan that would eliminate tax laws in favor of a 9 percent tax on sales, individual income and corporate income.

In April 2019, Trump announced that he would appoint Cain to serve on the Federal Reserve Board. Cain later withdrew from consideration amid renewed scrutiny of sexual harassment and infidelity allegations that first surfaced during his 2012 presidential campaign.

This story was reported from Cincinnati. The Associated Press contributed.