US actor Tom Hanks. Picture: Valerie Macon / AFP
Hollywood star Tom Hanks has caught it, and so has French World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi and now veteran Afro jazz star Manu Dibangola — the new coronavirus has hit even the rich and famous as it continues its relentless march across the globe.
Here is a roundup of some well-known personalities who have tested positive for Covid-19 around the world.
Hollywood Oscar-winning actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, announced they had tested positive for the virus on 12 March, while the couple were in Australia.
Five days later the couple was released from hospital and have since quarantined themselves.
British actor Idris Elba said on 16 March that he had tested positive for the virus and gone into self-isolation.
Chilean author Luis Sepulveda, who lives in northern Spain, also has the virus and is in hospital. He felt the first symptoms on 25 February, two days after returning from a literary festival in Portugal.
On Wednesday Afro jazz star Manu Dibango, 86, was admitted to a French hospital suffering from the coronavirus, his official Facebook page said, adding he was resting well and calmly recovering.”
British actor Idris Elba. Picture: Jordan Strauss /Invision/AP
France’s 2018 World Cup winner Blaise Matuidi has been in self-isolation at his home since 11 March after testing positive. His club Juventus in Italy have announced their Italian defender Daniele Rugani has also tested positive.
As a precautionary measure their teammate Cristiano Ronaldo has been in isolation for several days in Madeira, where he was born, though he has shown no symptoms. He has called on fans via social media to respect public health guidelines.
Five footballers with the Italian club Sampdoria have tested positive, along with the club’s doctor. Serbian striker Dusan Vlahovic at Fiorentina, another Serie A club, is also infected.
In Britain, Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta and Chelsea winger Callum Hudson-Odoi have both tested positive.
A third basketball player in the NBA, Christian Wood, has tested positive. This follows the confirmed infections of Rudy Gobert and Donovan Mitchell.
Colombian cyclist Fernando Gaviria and Russian cyclist Dmitry Strakhov, both at the UAE Tour, have been identified with the virus.
Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau and his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau. Picture: AFP Photo / Geoff Robins
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been in isolation since 13 March, after his wife Sophie Gregoire Trudeau tested positive.
At a news conference in front of his residence on 17 March, he called on Canadians to hunker down for the long haul against the coronavirus.
Members of governments in several countries — Britain, France, Iran, Morocco, Norway, Poland and Spain — have been infected.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton is in hospital quarantine after being infected. He had recently met Ivanka Trump, the daughter and aide of US President Donald Trump.
The president himself, who finally agreed to be tested after coming into contact with several infected people, on 14 March announced that he was negative.
Brazilian far-right president Jair Bolsonaro said on 13 March that he had tested negative, posting his result to his Facebook page, along with a picture of himself flashing an obscene arm gesture.
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