New Delhi: The Covid-19 pandemic has affected lives across spectrums. Young or old, rich or poor, the virus has spread its tentacles throughout the globe.
ThePrint tracks the most prominent people who have contracted the virus abroad.
At least 25 world leaders and international politicians contracted the Covid-19 infection over the.
The virus didn’t spare the most powerful man in the world — US President Donald Trump, who got the infection, along with First Lady Melania and a big number of White House staff, including the president’s top aide Hope Hicks. The mask-defiant president recovered following hospitalisation and being administered a cocktail of drugs. The illness, however, didn’t stop him from hosting ‘super spreader’ events and crowded election rallies after.
Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, who had called Covid-19 a “little flu”, also tested positive for Covid-19 in July. He recovered, and was among the high-profile patients treated with the much hyped anti-malarial drug hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), also promoted by Trump.
As if juggling Brexit wasn’t enough, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson caught the virus early March and was critically ill, before he recovered. The heir to the British throne, Prince Charles, was infected the same month.
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau had a close call in March when his wife Sophie Grégoire tested positive for the virus. He underwent home quarantine.
French President Emmanuel Macron caught the virus after attending many high-profile events, including a European Union summit.
Iranian Vice President Masoumeh Ebtekar, the highest-ranking woman in the government, was one of seven officials from the country who contracted the infection in March. The virus snuck into the Kremlin too, infecting Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin.
Other prominent names include UK Health Secretary Matt Hancock, Israel’s former health minister Yaakov Litzman, who resigned to protest against the Covid-19 lockdown, Australia’s Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, US Senator Rand Paul, European Union’s Chief Negotiator for Brexit Michel Barnier, Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernández, Prince Albert II of Monaco, Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari’s Chief of Staff Abba Kyari, Governor of Bauchi in Nigeria Bala Mohammed and Belgian Prince Joachim.
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Deaths of politicians
Political leaders who succumbed to the virus include Spain’s Princess Maria Teresa, the first royal to die of Covid-19. She died in March. Veteran Ukrainian politician Gennady Kernes too died after contracting the virus.
Others include former US Republican presidential candidate and cancer survivor Herman Cain and Republican candidate David Andahl, who got elected to the North Dakota state legislature a month after his death as his name could not be removed from the ballot with mail-in voting having already begun for the November election.
Brazilian Senator Arolde de Oliveira, a towering figure among evangelicals, had downplayed the severity of the virus before succumbing to it in November. Afghanistan’s first woman general Suhaila Siddiq, key Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat and Singapore’s first Navy commander Jaswant Singh Gill were also victims of Covid-19.
Celebrities who contracted Covid-19
Many celebrities worldwide also caught the coronavirus. One of the earliest among them were American actor Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson who got infected in March in Australia.
Others included Indian-origin actor and Game of Thrones star Indira Varma and her co-star Kristofer Hivju. Pop singer Madonna, who had referred to the virus as the “great equalizer” and actor Robert Pattinson also caught the viral illness. Pattison’s diagnosis had halted the production of Matt Reeves’ The Batman.
Breaking Bad star Bryan Cranston suffered mild symptoms, while actor Antonio Banderas spent his 60th birthday in quarantine. Pop singer Doja Cat, who had said Covid-19 could be cured with water, tea and sleep, caught the virus in July.
Former wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson caught the virus in September, while rapper Kanye West, who tried to run for US president, said he got the “chills” in February. CNN host Chris Cuomo was infected in April, but it was his wife’s Cristina remark of bathing in bleach to combat the virus that made headlines.
Tanzanian rapper Mwana FA, known for hits like ‘Yalaiti’ and ‘Bado Nipo Nipo’, told fans about his diagnosis via Instagram in March.
The star of popular US sitcom How I Met Your Mother, Neil Patrick Harris, British actor Idris Elba, talk-show host Ellen DeGeneres, pop-rock singer Pink, Pakistani actress Mahira Khan and 79-year-old Spanish opera singer Placido Domingo also beat the virus.
Convicted sexual offender and Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein was infected in March. Though he recovered, his health has since been declining in prison.
Other celebrities who beat Covid-19 are renowned author J.K. Rowling and Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli.
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Sports personalities weren’t immune either
Jamaican sprinter Usain Bolt caught the virus right after celebrating his birthday and tennis player Novak Djokovic, who made headlines for saying he did not believe in vaccination, faced several death threats after contracting Covid-19 in June after attending his own charity tournament.
Meanwhile, Pakistani cricketer Shahid Afridi caught the virus in June, becoming the first high-profile cricketer to be infected. Coach of Arsenal Football Club Mikel Arteta, Chelsea footballer Callum Hudson-Odoi, NBA players Kevin Durant and Rudy Gobert, NFL player Brian Allen and tennis player Grigor Dimitrov were also infected.
Celebrity deaths
There were some celebrities who succumbed to the virus. African saxophone legend Manu Dibango, who famously filed a lawsuit saying Michael Jackson stole a part of his song Soul makossa, died from the virus.
Jazz legend Ellis Marsalis Jr. also died due to pneumonia brought on by Covid-19 in April.
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