COVID-19 pandemic Republican U.S. congressman-elect Luke Letlow of Louisiana's 5th congressional district, who was scheduled to be sworn-in to the upcoming 117th United States Congress on January 3, 2021, dies from COVID-19 complications after previously testing positive for the disease, becoming the first member-elect of the U.S. House of Representatives to die before taking office since former astronaut Jack Swigert. Sources: Politico