The coronavirus doesn’t certainly discriminate nor differentiate between its targets. Leaders of the world are as exposed, and probably even more with their unavoidable social and political duties.
Officials are expected to be by their people during crises, visiting hospitals and shaking hands, aside from conducting their numerous meetings.
As the days go by with the COVID-19 raiding around and through, we hear of more leaders getting affected, and more and more taking shelter at home from where they continue running their country’s affairs.
That’s the case of Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who went into self-isolation as soon as his wife Sophie Grégoire Trudeau was suspected of coronavirus infection.
He has been working from home as they and the country awaited the results of the test.
On Thursday night, 12 March, his office issued a statement saying: “Following medical recommendations, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau was tested for COVID-19 today. The test came back positive.”
The office reassures that “she is feeling well, is taking all the recommended precautions, and her symptoms remain mild” and that she will remain in isolation.
The statement also included a message from Mrs. Trudeau herself, thanking everyone who has reached out to her.
“Although I’m experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, I will be back on my feet soon,” she says in the message.
The eyes of the Canadians are now turned to Ottawa with concerns on their Prime Minister. However, there is no suggestion or indication that PM Trudeau is potentially affected by the virus.
According to his office, his wife came back from a speaking engagement in the UK and started experiencing mild flu-like symptoms.
Consequently, the Prime minister went on to spend his self-isolation day “in briefings, phone calls, and virtual meetings from home, including speaking with other world leaders and joining the special COVID-19 cabinet committee discussion,” according to his office.
Sophie Grégoire Trudeau is recognized across Canada as an activist, a volunteer, and an advocate for gender equality.
She’s a public speaker on topics such as women’s and girls’ rights and freedom, teenage self-esteem, eating disorders, and mental health.
Born 1975 in Montreal, she is a mother of three children and a former television host.
As of the time of writing, numerous world officials have been already declared affected by the COVID-19, including a British health minister, Nadine Dorries.
In France, several MPs were recorded affected, including the Culture Minister Franck Riester.
The president of the European Parliament, David-Maria Sassoli, has been in self-isolation as a precaution upon his return from Italy recently. He presided this week an EU meeting in Brussels by video-conference.
Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro is currently awaiting the results of a coronavirus test, after his press secretary tested positive, according to a tweet by his son Eduardo.
Nine US lawmakers have taken to precautionary self-isolation as well after reportedly coming into contact with another infected person.
Iran, as we reported earlier, has recorded 23 cases among the members of its parliament, in addition to other figures, including several of its vice-presidents.
Worth noting that Prime Minister Trudeau had earlier announced a $1-billion fund to respond to the coronavirus outbreak and that hours before the World Health Organization officially declared the coronavirus outbreak a pandemic,