The rich also cry. Coronavirus is no respecter of persons. Politicians, celebrities and sportspeople have fallen prey to the wicked human predator – coronavirus.
The Covid-19 pandemic has travelled to at least 177 countries and territories, with the worldwide death toll from the virus currently at 18,892 (as at MARCH 25: 04:21 CAT).
Top politicians, business men, celebs, sportsmen are among the 422,614 people who have been infected so far.
From Hollywood to Nollywood, coronavirus touches saints and sinners alike.
In Hollywood, actor Tom Hanks and his wife, actress and singer Rita Wilson, British actor Idris Elba, and Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, are some of the top global celebs who have been infected.
Though reports confirm that many of the celebs are coping and improving except for Manu Dibango whom the deadly disease killed at 86.
Here is the long list:
Abba Kyari: The Nigerian president’s prominent chief of staff has tested positive for coronavirus. In his 70s, Kyari is an important figure in President Muhammadu Buhari’s government.
Rand Paul: The Republican of Kentucky becomes first US senator to get the hit and heat from coronavirus.
Prince Albert: Monaco’s Prince Albert II has tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He currently works from home.
Michel Barnier: EU chief Brexit negotiator has tested positive for the virus.
Bento Albuquerque: Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro said Mines and Energy Minister Bento Albuquerque has tested positive for coronavirus – the second cabinet member to be infected in the country.
Augusto Heleno: Brazil’s national security advisor said on March 18 that he has tested positive for coronavirus.
Heleno, 72, a retired army general and one of Bolsonaro’s closest aides, said he is currently under quarantine at his home while waiting for a second-test confirmation.
Antonio Vieira Monteiro: The chairman of the Portuguese unit of Santander, Spain’s largest bank, died from the coronavirus on Wednesday, the second victim of the disease in Portugal.
Jeremy Issacharoff: Israel’s ambassador to Germany has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a statement March 17.
Friedrich Merz: The 64-year-old politician, who has been campaigning to lead Germany’s Christian Democratic Union (CDU) at a congress planned for this year, said on Twitter on March 17 that he tested positive for coronavirus and was under self-quarantine at home.
Kozo Tashima: The head of Japan’s football association tested positive for the virus on March 17.
Nadine Dorries: A minister in the United Kingdom’s health department was the first British politician to test positive on March 10.
Peter Dutton: The Australian home affairs minister is under quarantine in hospital after contracting the virus.
Massoumeh Ebtekar: The Iranian vice president is the country’s top government official to be infected by the virus, which has also affected several senior officials in the country. Iraj Harirchi, Iran’s deputy health minister, is also stricken. Iran is the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the Middle East.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau: On March 12, the wife of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau tested positive for COVID-19 following a trip to the United Kingdom. Gregoire Trudeau said she planned to remain in isolation for the next two weeks, together with her husband. Her symptoms have been described as mild.
Begona Gomez: Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez’s wife tested positive, officials in his office said late on Saturday. While Begona Gomez tested positive, the health of both she and the prime minister was fine, the officials said. Spain said it would place the entire country under lockdown as the number of diagnosed cases exceeded 6,000.
Quim Torra: The local leader of Spain’s Catalonia region said on March 16 that he had tested positive for the coronavirus and that he was going into self-isolation in a government building.
Pere Aragones: The Catalan deputy head of government announced on March 15 that he had also tested positive for coronavirus.
Irene Montero: The Spanish minister tested positive on March 15 and has been put under quarantine along with her partner, Deputy Prime Minister Pablo Iglesias.
Franck Riester: Earlier this week, the French culture minister said he was staying at his home in Paris after contracting the virus. France has also imposed a partial lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19.
Francis Suarez: In the United States, Miami city’s mayor confirmed, on March 13, that he has contracted COVID-19.
Fabio Wajngarten: The press secretary for Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro tested positive after he returned from a US trip where he met, among others, US President Donald Trump, who later tested negative for the virus.
Michal Wos: Poland’s environment minister has tested positive for coronavirus, he said in a tweet on March 16.
Oumarou Idani: Burkina Faso’s minister of mines, has tested positive.
Stanislas Ouaro: Burkina Faso’s minister of education is confirmed to have COVID-19.
Simeon Sawadogo: Burkina Faso’s interior minister has the new coronavirus.
Alpha Barry: Burkina Faso’s foreign minister tested positive for COVID-19, he said on Twitter on March 20.
Celebrities:
Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson: The
Popular Hollywood couple announced on March 11 that they were infected by the coronavirus.
Luis Sepulveda: The best-selling Chilean writer, who lives in northern Spain, also said he was infected.
Olga Kurylenko: The French actress, who starred in the Bond movie Quantun of Solance announced on March 15 that she had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Idris Elba: The British actor and musician said he has tested positive for COVID-19 on March 16.
Kristofer Hivju: The 41-year-old Game of Thrones actor, who played the role of Tormund, has tested positive for the new coronavirus on March 17.
Manu Dibango: the 86-year-old Afro jazz star has died from coronavirus infection. He was admitted to a French hospital.
Daniel Dae Kim: South Korean-American actor best known for the television series “Hawaii 5-0,” said on Thursday he had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Placido Domingo: On March 22, the Spanish opera singer said he had tested positive for coronavirus and had gone into self isolation with his family.
Idris Elbar
Athletes & Teams:
Marco Sportiello: The Atalanta goalkeeper was tested positive for coronavirus on March 24
Jason Collins: On March 24, Collins, who played 13 NBA seasons from 2001-14, and spent seven-plus years with the Nets said on Twitter he believes he caught coronavirus on March 4 when the Brooklyn Nets hosted the Memphis Grizzlies.
Ottawa Senators: An unidentified Ottawa Senators player has tested positive for the new coronavirus, the first known case in North America’s National Hockey League.
Deportivo Alaves: The Spanish football club confirmed a total of 15 positive coronavirus cases, including three players from the first team squad and seven members of the coaching staff.
Blaise Matuidi: The Juventus and France midfielder has tested positive for the coronavirus, the Turin-based Serie A club said in a statement on March 17.
Daniele Rugani: Another Juventus player and Italian defender has also tested positive.
Mikel Arteta: On March 12, the 37-year-old Arsenal manager was the first in England’s football Premier League to be diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Callum Hudson-Odoi: On the same day, the 19-year-old Chelsea winger also said he was infected.
Paulo Dybala: The Italy-based Argentinian footballer announced his diagnosis on Friday. Italy is the worst-hit country after China by the pandemic, which has killed more than 1,800 people in the Mediterranean nation.
Sampdoria: Five footballers from the Italian club have tested positive, along with the team’s doctor.
Dusan Vlahovic: The Serbian striker for Fiorentina, another Serie A club, is also infected.
Christian Wood: Detroit Piston’s forward is “under the care of team medical staff and in self-isolation” since testing positive, the NBA team said on March 15.
Brooklyn Nets: Four players on the NBA Brooklyn Nets basketball team tested positive for the coronavirus on March 17.
Marcus Smart: The Boston Celtics guard tested positive as the number of confirmed cases in the NBA continues to grow.
Paulo Dybala: The Juventus and Argentina soccer forward had tested positive for coronavirus.
Manu Dibango
Rudy Gobert: The NBA Utah Jazz basketball star triggered criticism after he was seen carelessly touching microphones and voice recorders at a media event on March 9 after he was diagnosed with the virus.
Donovan Mitchell: Another NBA Utah Jazz player also tested positive for COVID-19 days later on March 12.
Fernando Gaviria: The Colombian cyclist confirmed on March 12 that he contracted coronavirus while racing during an event in the United Arab Emirates, and was admitted to a hospital in the Gulf nation.
Dmitry Strakhov: He was the second cyclist at the UAE Tour to have been diagnosed with the virus on the same day.
Marouane Fellaini: The former Manchester United football player who currently plays for the Chinese Super League (CSL) has COVID-19.
