# Factbox-World leaders who contracted COVID-19 Author: Pal Sinha, Barnali Author URL: https://financedigest.com/author/pal-sinha-barnali Published: 2022-07-21 Category: NEWS Category URL: https://financedigest.com/category/news Meta Title: World Leaders and COVID-19: A Timeline of Infections Meta Description: Learn about prominent world leaders, including Joe Biden and Justin Trudeau, who tested positive for COVID-19 and their experiences with the virus. URL: https://financedigest.com/factbox-world-leaders-who-contracted-covid-19html ![undefined](https://prod.superblogcdn.com/site_cuid_cm5qst7v3003gwirgwqtxn8i8/images/2022-07-21t165917z1lynxmpei6k0u7rtroptp4britain-politics-costofliving-1736815551237-compressed.jpg) (Reuters) – Many world leaders and senior officials have contracted COVID-19 since the start of the pandemic more than two years ago. Some, such as Canada’s Justin Trudeau and Mexico’s Andres Manuel Lopez Obrado, have caught the virus twice. On Thursday, Joe Biden, 79, the oldest person ever to serve as president of the United States, tested positive. UNITED STATES [Former President](https://www.financedigest.com/sri-lanka-top-court-allows-proceedings-against-former-president-rajapaksa-others.html "Sri Lanka top court allows proceedings against former President Rajapaksa, others") Donald Trump was 74 when he announced in October 2020 that he had COVID, before vaccines were available and a month before he lost the presidential election to Biden. Trump, who had consistently disregarded guidance from health authorities urging people to wear protective masks in [close company](https://www.financedigest.com/closing-a-limited-company-three-alternatives-to-liquidation.html "Closing a limited company: three alternatives to liquidation"), was admitted to hospital for treatment and left a few days later. Colin Powell, the first Black secretary of state, died in October 2021 at age 84 from complications of [COVID-19 despite](https://www.financedigest.com/oil-prices-stay-firm-on-fuel-demand-despite-covid-19-surge.html "Oil prices stay firm on fuel demand despite COVID-19 surge") being fully vaccinated. ALGERIA President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, 74 at the time, made his first appearance on Dec. 13, 2020 since he was flown to a hospital in Germany 47 days earlier after [testing positive](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-says-he-is-doing-well-working-after-testing-positive-for-covid.html "Biden says he is ‘doing well,’ working after testing positive for COVID"). In a video on Twitter and a broadcast on state television, his features were haggard but he said he was recovering and would be back [home soon](https://www.financedigest.com/powered-by-poo-ten-weird-and-wonderful-alternative-energy-sources-that-could-soon-be-powering-our-homes.html "POWERED BY POO: Ten weird and wonderful alternative energy sources that could soon be powering our homes"). BRAZIL President Jair Bolsonaro was 65 when he tested positive in July 2020. Appearing in public less than two weeks later, Bolsonaro said he was feeling well. BRITAIN Queen Elizabeth, who was then 95, [tested positive for COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-not-planning-covid-testing-for-travellers-from-china.html "UK not planning COVID testing for travellers from China") in February and was described as having had mild, cold-like symptoms. She later returned to light duties. [Prime Minister Boris Johnson](https://www.financedigest.com/factbox-who-will-replace-uk-prime-minister-boris-johnson.html "Factbox-Who will replace UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson?") spent two weeks recovering from a bout of COVID-19 before returning to Downing Street on April 26, 2020. Johnson, who was 56 at the time, had previously spent three nights in intensive [care in a London hospital](https://www.financedigest.com/acute-care-hospital-beds-and-stretchers-market.html "Acute Care Hospital Beds And Stretchers Market") with the illness. [Leaving St Thomas’ hospital](https://www.financedigest.com/pope-francis-to-leave-hospital-as-soon-as-possible-says-vatican.html "Pope Francis to leave hospital as soon as possible, says Vatican") on April 12, he thanked staff for saving his life. CANADA Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tested positive for COVID on June 13, his [second bout with the illness this year](https://www.financedigest.com/ericssons-board-rebuked-by-shareholders-at-agm-for-second-year-in-a-row.html "Ericsson’s board rebuked by shareholders at AGM for second year in a row"). Trudeau, 50, previously [tested positive for COVID](https://www.financedigest.com/in-shanghai-lockdown-blues-make-way-for-covid-testing-gripes.html "In Shanghai, lockdown blues make way for COVID testing gripes") in January. In March 2020, Trudeau ran the country while [self-isolating for 14 days](https://www.financedigest.com/uk-reduces-covid-19-self-isolation-to-7-days-for-most-in-england.html "UK reduces COVID-19 self-isolation to 7 days for most in England") after his wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive. ESWATINI Eswatini Prime Minister Ambrose Dlamini died at the age of 52 in December 2020, four weeks after testing positive and being hospitalized in neighboring [South Africa](https://www.financedigest.com/inmobi-and-coca-cola-win-mma-smarties-south-africa-award-for-beat-can-campaign.html "InMobi and Coca-Cola Win MMA SMARTIES South Africa Award for Beat Can Campaign"). FRANCE [President Emmanuel Macron](https://www.financedigest.com/french-president-macron-reaffirms-that-pensions-system-reform-is-necessary.html "French President Macron reaffirms that pensions system reform is necessary") tested positive in 2020 and continued to run the country remotely. GUATEMALA President Alejandro Giammattei, then 64, tested [positive in September and said he was a “high-risk” patient](https://www.financedigest.com/constructive-digitization-to-drive-the-patient-positioning-accessories-market.html "Constructive Digitization to drive the Patient Positioning Accessories Market") because of pre-existing medical conditions and a history of heavy smoking. Giammattei, who walks on crutches after suffering sclerosis in his youth, self-isolated and [worked from home](https://www.financedigest.com/how-to-hybrid-trusting-employees-to-work-from-home.html "How to hybrid: Trusting employees to work from home "). HONDURAS President Juan Orlando Hernandez, who was then 52, tested positive in June 2020. He left [hospital in July after undergoing treatment for pneumonia](https://www.financedigest.com/innovation-to-trigger-the-hospital-acquired-pneumonia-prevention-market.html "Innovation to trigger the Hospital Acquired Pneumonia Prevention Market"). ITALY Italian Prime Minister Mario Draghi tested positive for [COVID-19](https://www.financedigest.com/australia-seeks-to-ease-covid-19-test-rules-as-cases-hit-records.html "Australia seeks to ease COVID-19 test rules as cases hit records") in April and tested negative about 10 days later. MEXICO President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, 68, was diagnosed with [COVID in January and had mild symptoms](https://www.financedigest.com/biden-tests-positive-for-covid-has-mild-symptoms-taking-paxlovid-treatment.html "Biden tests positive for COVID, has mild symptoms, taking Paxlovid treatment"). The leftist leader, a former smoker who had a heart attack in 2013, also suffers from hypertension but his previous COVID-19 infection in January 2021 was light, Mexican [officials say](https://www.financedigest.com/global-crypto-regulation-body-likely-in-next-year-top-official-says.html "Global crypto regulation body likely in next year, top official says"). Lopez Obrador received an AstraZeneca [vaccine booster shot](https://www.financedigest.com/fda-advisers-back-the-same-covid-vaccine-for-initial-shots-boosters.html "FDA advisers back the same COVID vaccine for initial shots, boosters") on Dec. 7. (Compiled by Lisa Shumamker; Editing by Andrew Heavens) --- This blog is powered by Superblog. Visit https://superblog.ai to know more. ---