Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada, made an important announcement on Thursday that he would be self-isolating after his wife Sophie Gregoire-Trudeau showed mild flu-like symptoms and got tested for novel coronavirus disease, Covid-19. The Prime Minister said that he would be working from home after canceling all in-person meetings, including with Canada's provincial and territorial leaders in Ottawa.
While in self-isolation, the PM is said to be spending the day in briefings, phone calls, and virtual meetings from home, the Prime Minister's Office said in a statement. Trudeau will also be a part of the special Covid-19 cabinet committee discussion virtually.
"We continue to base all our decisions on the best evidence, science, and advice from our highly trained medical professionals and public health officials to protect the well-being of Canadians and reduce the risks of COVID-19 to our country. Since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, we have urged Canadians to take all necessary precautions and follow medical advice in order to stay safe. This is what the prime minister and his family are doing," the PMO said in a statement.
Justin Trudeau shares the update
In addition to the PMO's statement, Trudeau shared further details announcing his decision to self-isolate and self-monitor. In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said his wife Sophie had recently returned from a speaking event in the UK and started to experience mild flu-like symptoms last night. The PM's wife is feeling better but got tested for coronavirus following advice from the doctor. The couple is waiting for the test results.
"Out of an abundance of caution, I too will be self-isolating & self-monitoring until we get Sophie's results back. But I'll be busy working from home. Today, I'll be speaking with some world leaders and joining ministers for a Cabinet committee discussion on COVID-19," Trudeau tweeted on Thursday, setting an example on how people should treat mild symptoms of flu while the world struggles in the hands of coronavirus outbreak.
The minister also said the meetings that were scheduled for Thursday and Friday will be postponed for a later date.
Coronavirus in the UK
The coronavirus has been spreading around the world at a rapid pace despite various efforts to curb the outbreak. The World Health Organisation (WHO) finally declared the deadly disease a pandemic. There are more than 127,000 confirmed cases from around the world and roughly 4,700 deaths have been caused due to the virus.
In Canada, there are 103 confirmed cases and one death due to Covid-19. Trudeau announced a $1 billion support package in order to deal with the impact of coronavirus.
Besides Trudeau, several other cabinet ministers and politicians are in self-isolation after appearing at events with other attendees having tested positive for the virus. Natural Resources Minister Seamus O'Regan and Mary Ng, minister of small business, export promotion and international trade, Montreal Liberal MP Anthony Housefather, NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh have reported being in self-isolation for showing symptoms of Covid-19.
