Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is in self-isolation as his wife, Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, is being tested for Covid-19.
The Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued a statement on Thursday to say that Grégoire Trudeau had recently returned from a speaking engagement in London, UK. She began “exhibiting mild flu-like symptoms including a low fever late last night,” it read.
“She immediately sought medical advice, and is being tested for the Covid-19 virus. She is self-isolating at home awaiting test results, and her symptoms have since subsided.”
The prime minister is exhibiting no symptoms himself, the statement read.
He was scheduled to meet with premiers and Indigenous leaders on Thursday and Friday, but those meetings have since been postponed.
Grégoire Trudeau was in London to speak at a WE Day event last week, the PMO confirmed to HuffPost Canada. Thousands of people attended the youth empowerment event at SSE Arena in Wembley. Celebrity speakers included Grégoire Trudeau, the prime minister’s mother Margaret Trudeau, actor Idris Alba, and celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
Covid-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus, is characterised by coughing, fever, and shortness of breath though symptoms may not appear until 14 days after exposure. Due to its geographic spread, it was declared a pandemic by the World Health Organisation on Wednesday.
The virus, which originated in China, has infected more than 113,000 people worldwide and killed more than 4,000, according to the WHO, but a large majority have recovered.