With over 121,061 people infected by the coronavirus so far, several high-profile personalities most especially politicians and footballers have tested positive and are currently battling for their lives.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, according to Jornal O Dia, a major Brazilian newspaper.
Bolsonaro was tested for the coronavirus and is being monitored, the Brazilian newspaper Estado reported on Thursday, days after he sat next to US President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida.
Canadian Prime Minister’s wife
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, wife of Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, has tested positive for coronavirus after returning from a trip to London, a statement from the PM’s office says.
“She will remain in isolation for the time being. She is feeling well, is taking all the recommended precautions and her symptoms remain mild,” it read.
Chelsea player
Chelsea’s winger Callum Hudson-Odoi has tested positive for the coronavirus, the team announced on Thursday.
Hudson-Odoi displayed cold symptoms on Monday morning and has stayed away from the club since then. His test result was returned on Thursday night.
“Chelsea men’s team player Callum Hudson-Odoi had a positive test result for coronavirus returned this evening,” the Premier League club’s statement said. “Chelsea personnel who had recent close contact with the player in the men’s team building will now self-isolate in line with government health guidelines.”
Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs
Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton announced on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
In a statement on Friday night, Dutton said he tested for the virus after waking up with a temperature and sore throat.
“This morning I woke up with a temperature and sore throat,” he said.
Arsenal Coach
Arsenal head coach Mikel Arteta has tested positive for coronavirus and their Premier League match away to Brighton on Saturday has been postponed.
Spain’s Equality minister
Spain’s Equality Minister, Irene Montero has tested positive for coronavirus and her partner Pablo Iglesias, Second Vice-President, has been kept under quarantine on March 13.
Tom Hanks & Rita Wilson
Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress Rita Wilson, have tested positive for Coronavirus in Australia on March 12, the actor said on Twitter.
Hanks said he and Wilson, both 63, were tested in Australia, where he is working on a film after they felt tired and achy with slight fevers.
Basketball player
United States’ National Basketball Association (NBA) announced that it was suspending the season until further notice after basketball team Utah Jazz defensive anchor Rudy Gobert tested positive for coronavirus on March 11. The league received the report before the tip-off between the Utah Jazz and the Oklahoma City Thunder. The game between the two teams was immediately cancelled.
Juventus player
Daniele Rugani, a player for Juventus, the Italian soccer champion, has tested positive for coronavirus, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, the club announced on Wednesday, March 11.
Juventus have activated “all the isolation procedures required by law,” including for those who have come into contact with Rugani, with Reuters reporting the entire Juventus squad are in isolation.
British Health Minister
British Junior Health Minister, Nadine Dorries confirmed she has tested positive for coronavirus, and is self-isolating, she said on Tuesday, March 10.
Dorries said she took “all the advised precautions” as soon as she was told of her diagnosis.
Writing on Twitter, she said: “Thanks for so many good wishes. It’s been pretty rubbish but I hope I’m over the worst of it now.”
France’s Minister of culture
The French Culture Minister, Franck Riester, tested positive on March 9, the ministry said, noting that Riester had been at the National Assembly where 5 people were found to have the virus.
Italy’s party leader
In Italy, which has witnessed the highest number of deaths and cases outside of China, the leader of the Italian Democratic Party, Nicola Zingaretti, announced in a Facebook video that he too has contracted the virus. “Well, it’s arrived,” Zingaretti said in a video posted on March 7. “I also have coronavirus.”
Iran’s Minister of Industries, trade and mining
Iran’s Industry, Mining and Trade Minister Reza Rahmani has tested positive for the coronavirus, known as COVID-19, an Iranian online news site said on March 11.
Senior members of Iran’s government
Iraj Harirchi, the head of the Iranian counter-coronavirus task force, was diagnosed on Feb. 25 after downplaying the severity of the outbreak.
Iran’s Vice President for Women and Family Affairs Masoumeh Ebtekar, Deputy Health Minister Iraj Harirchi and another lawmaker, Mahmoud Sadeghi have also been infected with coronavirus.
The head of Iran’s crisis management organisation, Esmail Najjar, has also been placed in isolation after contracting COVID-19.
A further 20 Iranian lawmakers have since been infected by the virus.
