On Monday, Idris Elba told fans that he had been diagnosed with COVID-19, the illness caused by the coronavirus. Shortly after the news emerged, it was reported that Elba had taken a photo with Sophie Grégoire Trudeau, who has also recently tested positive for the coronavirus, as PEOPLE noted. Grégoire Trudeau, the wife of the Prime Minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, and Elba had posed for a photo together at a charity event in London only days before they both announced the news about their respective diagnoses.
Elba and Grégoire Trudeau reportedly took a photo together at the WE Day charity event in London on Wednesday, March 4. Following the event, on March 5, Grégoire Trudeau posted a photo from the event on her Instagram account, captioning the snap with, “My heart is full after spending time working with my own family and the WE family. Our message in London: Show yourself love and offer that same love to the world.”
In his Twitter message about his diagnosis with coronavirus, Elba mentioned that he hadn’t been experiencing any symptoms of the illness but that he sought out the test because he was in contact with someone who had also tested positive for it. He did not specify who he came into contact with, so it is unclear whether the person he was referring to was Grégoire Trudeau.
View this post on Instagram
On late Thursday, it was reported that Grégoire Trudeau had tested positive for the coronavirus, per CNN. As for Elba, he told his fans about his own diagnosis on Monday via a video on Twitter.
In his Twitter message, he stressed that the situation surrounding the coronavirus is very “serious.” Elba, who is currently quarantining himself, also encouraged everyone to take health and safety measures seriously.
“Look, this is serious, you know? Now’s the time to really think about social distancing, washing your hands,” he said in the video. “Beyond that, there are people out there who aren’t showing symptoms and that can easily spread it. Okay? So now’s a real time to be really vigilant about washing your hands and keeping your distance.”
Elba went on to say that he and his wife, Sabrina Dhowre, who also appeared in the video, had informed their families about their situation.
“Look, we live in a divided world right now we can all feel it, it’s been bulls—t, but now’s the time for solidarity, now’s the time for thinking about each other,” he added. “There’s so many people who’s lives have been effected from those who have lost people they love to people that don’t even have it and have lost their livelihoods. This is real.”
