US President Donald Trump announced Friday at midnight that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus. The news came just 32 days before the presidential election day. As of the first Saturday of the fortnight, he had attended two rallies, and the first of three televised debates with rival former vice president Joe Biden. The president and first lady are already in quarantine at the White House.
Trump is just one of many world leaders and high-ranking officials to be infected with COVID-19 since the World Health Organization declared the virus a global pandemic more than six months ago. From Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro to British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, the cases have ranged from health to political — but each case of infection has intensified questions about the particular leader's handling of the pandemic. For Trump's campaign, much depends on the days ahead and the severity of the symptoms.
Below is a list of top leaders who have tested positive for COVID-19 – and what to expect.
President Donald Trump, USA
Trump's announcement came just hours after Bloomberg News reported that Hope Hicks, a senior adviser who traveled with the president, had tested positive for the coronavirus. The line of transmission remains unclear, and the administration appears to have deliberately not clarified the potential route of exposure. Trump's campaign did not even notify Joe Biden's team before the first televised debate, even though it was officially announced that same morning that Hicks had tested positive for the coronavirus.
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With Trump in quarantine, his infection has already disrupted the presidential campaign, but it is not yet known what the impact on the final outcome of the election may be. At 74 years old and overweight, the seriousness of the illness of the head of the White House is still unknown.
The White House insists the president and first lady are showing mild symptoms of COVID-19. But Trump's illness poses the greatest threat to the American president since the time of Ronald Reagan, who was assassinated in 1981. Perhaps this is the most serious threat on the eve of the presidential elections in American political history.
The decision has already been made to cancel the planned developments in the White House, participation in election rallies and future televised debates. Biden, but also co-candidate Kamala Harris, have tested negative for coronavirus.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson, United Kingdom
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 56, is thought to be the first world leader to test positive for COVID-19. On March 27, Johnson announced via a tape that he had contracted the coronavirus, just a week after his government decided to abandon its strategy of herd immunization against the pandemic.
Although he was not at high risk of complications from the coronavirus, the British leader almost died from COVID-19. After experiencing mild symptoms at first, he would be hospitalized for a week. He spent three days in intensive care. Johnson later stated that "it could have gone differently." Johnson was more lenient in his subsequent approach, especially in April, when there were record numbers of fatal cases.
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Prince Charles, United Kingdom
Prince Charles, 71, heir to the British throne, also fell ill with COVID-19 in March. After he tested positive, he isolated himself with his wife Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall - who tested negative - in Scotland.
In June, Charles said he was lucky to experience only mild symptoms. He declared that it passed "pretty easy". But he took this as a trigger to talk more about environmental protection. Many scientists consider that pandemics have become more frequent, due to the destruction of biodiversity.
Prince Albert II, Monaco
On March 19, Prince Albert II of Monaco, 62, became the first reigning monarch or head of state to test positive for the coronavirus. In a written statement, the principality announced that the leader's symptoms were not worrisome and that he would work from home. He asked people to follow the recommendations for protection from the coronavirus. After two weeks, the palace announced that Albert had fully recovered.
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Prime Minister Avdullah Hoti, Kosovo
The Prime Minister of Kosovo, Avdullah Hoti, announced on August 2 on Facebook that he was infected with the coronavirus and that he would self-isolate for two weeks. Hoti, 44 years old, said that "he had no symptoms, except for a slight cough".
