UPDATE (3/12/20 10:15pm ET) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau‘s wife Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau has tested positive for the coronavirus. The results came back on Thurs. March 12. “First I’d like to say a big thank you to all of you who have reached out to me asking how I’m doing,” she said in a statement. “Although I’m experiencing uncomfortable symptoms of the virus, I will be back on my feet soon.” She added, “Being in quarantine at home is nothing compared to other Canadian families who might be going through this and for those facing more serious health concerns.”
ORIGINAL:
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, 48, has made the decision to self-quarantine amid fears of the growing COVID-19 pandemic. Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Grégoire-Trudeau, 44, began showing “mild symptoms” on Wednesday, March 11 after returning from a speaking engagement in the United Kingdom, according to the prime minister’s office. Grégoire-Trudeau’s coronavirus test results have not returned, but the couple are quarantining at home until they get the all-clear. So far, the prime minister has not exhibited any symptoms of the highly contagious virus. At this time, their are 137 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in Canada and one death; there are an estimated 133,039 confirmed cases worldwide as of publication of this article.
Though doctors said that Trudeau could continue with his daily activities, he is choosing to work from home “out of an abundance of caution.” Grégoire-Trudeau began to show flu-like symptoms, including a low fever, after returning from London. Her symptoms have since subsided, according to the prime minister’s office. Trudeau has postponed meetings scheduled for this week, but will participate in “phone calls and virtual meetings from home, including speaking with other world leaders and joining the special COVID-19 cabinet committee discussion.” He’s not the only Canadian political leader to be potentially affected by the virus, either. New Democratic Party leader Jagmeet Singh said on March 12 in a tweet that he’s working from home after feeling “unwell.”
Doctors have told Singh that his symptoms aren’t consistent with the novel coronavirus, but that “their advice is for me to limit contact with the public until I am feeling better,” he said. “All of us come into contact with many people who may be vulnerable to illness – we have to make sure we are taking measures to limit the chance that we infect them. Looking forward to being back at work and feeling better soon.”
Trudeau’s announcement comes one day after the World Health Organization officially classified COVID-19 as a pandemic. Donald Trump gave an address to the nation on March 11, declaring that all travel to the United States from Europe would be suspended for 30 days. That does not include the UK.