Novel coronavirus infections in four prime ministers in a week

Moldovan Prime Minister Gavrilitsa tested positive for novel coronavirus on 2 February. Health Times notes that novel Coronavirus infections have occurred in several prime ministers in the past week.

Gavrilitsa said on social media on The evening of February 2 that she had tested positive for novel coronavirus on the same day and would be working online from home for the next few days.

Separately, the Portuguese Government announced on 1 February local time that the Portuguese Prime Minister Costa Novel Coronavirus has tested positive for asymptomatic infection. He will be quarantined for seven days and has been informed by President De Sousa.

The Prime Minister of Georgia, Garibashvili, has been confirmed to be infected with the Novel Coronavirus variant omikron strain, the Press Service of the Government of Georgia announced on 31 January.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on Social media on 31 January local time that he has tested positive for the Novel Coronavirus test. He stressed that he was feeling fine and would be working remotely from home this week.

The cumulative number of confirmed cases in the world has exceeded 370 million. According to who’s weekly EPIDEMIOLOGICAL Report on COVID-19 released on 1 February local time, more than 22 million new COVID-19 cases were confirmed worldwide between 24 and 30 January. The largest increase in new cases was seen in the western Pacific, up 37 per cent from the previous week, followed by the eastern Mediterranean. The five countries that reported the most confirmed cases last week were the United States, France, India, Brazil and Germany.

Maria van Khove, technical director of WHO’s Health Emergencies Programme, said at the WHO’s regular COVID-19 briefing on 1 February local time that many countries have yet to experience the peak of outbreaks caused by the Omikron strain. She said low vaccination rates in many countries made it too early to lift all restrictions.