An unfortunate reality we’ve learned over the past year is that Black people do in fact get the novel coronavirus which continues to affect thousands of people worldwide. Thus far, there have been 42 million cases of COVID-19 in the United States with a reported 683,000 deaths from the virus.
COVID-19, which has symptoms of high fever, headache and extreme body aches, is also sadly still making its way through Hollywood, with many celebrities coming forward to reveal they’ve been diagnosed.
In the celebrity sphere, the virus initially affected members of the NBA; but the world seemed to stand still when British actor Idris Elba announced that he, too, had COVID-19 in 2021.
Since then, more NBA players have been diagnosed, including Brooklyn Nets player Kevin Durant, as well as a number of singers, actors, and public figures. Below are those who have received this diagnosis thus far.
01
Idris Elba
Idris Elba announced Monday that he tested positive for COVID-19. What prompted the British actor to get tested was that he came into contact with a known person carrying the virus. The actor noted that he was asymptomatic and that his wife, Sabrina Dhowre Elba, had also been tested and was doing okay. He has yet to share the result of her test.
02
Kevin Durant
Kevin Durant, along with three other Brooklyn Nets players, tested positive for the novel coronavirus. The identities of the other Nets players who have tested positive have not been released. Reportedly three of the players including Durant remain asymptomatic. All four players are currently in quarantine.
03
Los Angeles Lakers
On Thursday, the Los Angeles Lakers announced that two players tested positive for COVID-19. “We learned today that two Lakers players have tested positive. Both players are currently asymptomatic, in quarantine and under the care of the team’s physician,” the Lakers said in a statement.
04
Rudy Gobert
Rudy Gobert was the first NBA player to announce that he tested positive for the novel coronavirus. He was seen touching microphones and other equipment when downplaying the seriousness of the virus. By March 15, however, Gobert said, “I wish I would have taken this thing more seriously and I hope everyone else will do so because we can do it together.”
05
Donovan Mitchell
Gobert’s teammate Donovan Mitchell was later diagnosed. Although he was initially mad at his teammate, he’s come to see the bigger picture. “I’m asymptomatic,” Mitchell said on ABC’s “Good Morning America.” “I don’t have any symptoms. I could walk down the street [and] if it wasn’t public knowledge that I was sick, you wouldn’t know it. I think that’s the scariest part about this virus. You may seem fine, be fine. And you never know who you may be talking to, who they’re going home to.”
06
Marcus Smart
Boston Celtics player Marcus Smart announced that he had been diagnosed with the virus. On Twitter Thursday, he said in a video, “I’m okay. I feel fine. I don’t feel any of the symptoms.” He added that he hopes people will practice social distancing.
07
Christian Wood
Detroit Pistons player Christian Wood has been diagnosed with COVID-19.
08
Sabrina Dhowre
Dhowre tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after her husband, actor Idris Elba, confirmed he’d contracted the virus.
09
Slim Thug
Rapper Slim Thug said that despite staying at home, he still contracted COVID-19. In an Instagram post on Tuesday, he revealed: “As careful as I’ve been self-quarantining, staying home, I might have went and got something to eat or something, simple stuff like that, nothing crazy. Stayed in my truck, had masks, gloves, everything on and my test came back positive.”
10
Scarface
The Houston rapper recently described his battle with the virus during an interview with fellow Geto Boys member Willie D.
11
Brian Stokes Mitchell
The Broadway star confirmed via Twitter that he’d tested positive for COVID-19 but told fans that, recently, “every day that has passed has been better than the previous.”
12
Ellis Marsalis, Jr.
Sadly, the New Orleans jazz legend passed away at 85 due to complications from the coronavirus.
13
Bebe Winans
BeBe Winans revealed in April that he likely contracted COVID-19 while traveling from New York to Detroit for a funeral. He also revealed that both his brother, who was hospitalized, and mother, Delores Winans, were also infected by the virus.
14
DJ Jazzy Jeff
DJ Jazzy Jeff revealed he had been diagnosed with pneumonia back in March, most likely linked to COVID-19.
15
Babyface
Babyface revealed in early April that he and his family had been diagnosed with COVID-19 and they were recovering. It was the reason why his Instagram Live battle against Teddy Riley was postponed to Black Twitter’s dismay.
16
Deray Mckesson
Deray Mckesson revealed in April that he had tested positive for COVID-19 after experiencing mild symptoms, such as loss of taste. “The doc expects me to recover fully, told me to call if I have any chest pains,” he wrote on Twitter.
17
Fred The Godson
It was revealed in late April that the Bronx-born rapper had died after contracting COVID-19. He was only 35.
18
Troy Sneed
Gospel artist Troy Sneed died in a Jacksonville, Florida, hospital in late April from COVID-19 complications, his publicist confirmed. He was only 52. Sneed was best known for his work with the Georgia Mass Choir, earning a Grammy Award nod for Youth for Christ’s 1999 album, Higher, and working on The Preacher Wife‘s sound track.
19
Von Miller
The NFL star revealed on May 14 that he had been diagnosed back in April with the virus. “I wouldn’t say that I thought I was going to die or anything like that, but it did cross my mind a little bit,” he told the Washington Post.
20
Patrick Ewing
In May, Patrick Ewing was hospitalized for the novel coronavirus. His son, Patrick Ewing, Jr., later revealed that his father was out of the hospital and recovering.
21
Russell Westbrook
The NBA star announced July 13 that he had contracted the coronavirus. “I tested positive for COVID-19 prior to my team’s departure to Orlando,” he said in a statement ahead of the NBA’s reopening. “I’m currently feeling well, quarantined and looking forward to rejoining my teammates when I am cleared. Thank you all for the well-wishes and continued support. Please take the virus seriously. Be safe. Mask up. #whynot”
22
Peter Thomas
Former “RHOA” star Peter Thomas announced in an Instagram video on August 2 that he had contracted COVID-19.
23
Tiffany Haddish
In an August 31 interview with Dr. Anthony Fauci, Tiffany Haddish revealed she tested positive for the virus after working on a movie set with someone else who’d contracted coronavirus.
24
Dwayne Johnson
Three weeks after he and his family tested positive for COVID, Dwayne Johnson encouraged fans to take the virus seriously and exercise caution when meeting up with friends and family.
25
Trey Songz
“Here with a very important message to let you know I tested positive for COVID-19,” singer Trey Songz shared on his Instagram feed on October 6th. “I’ve taken many tests as I’ve been out protesting, food drives, of course I have a very young son at home, so I get tested periodically and this time it unfortunately came back positive.”
26
Ben Carson
Ben Carson, who is the current Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) reportedly tested positive for COVID after attending an election party for Donald Trump.
27
Ashanti
Ashanti’s highly anticipated VERZUZ battle with Keyshia Cole had to be delayed when the “Happy” singer tested positive for COVID-19 the day of the scheduled event. Thankfully, Ashanti made a full recovery and the ladies’ epic battle went viral.
28
Dave Chappelle
A rep for Dave Chappelle confirmed he tested positive for COVID the week of January 18, 2021. Though the comedian hasn’t experienced any symptoms, he did go into quarantine and, subsequently, canceled his upcoming shows in Austin, TX.
In a statement, Chappelle’s rep said he “has safely conducted socially-distanced shows in Ohio since June 2020 and he moved those shows to Austin during the winter. Chappelle implemented COVID-19 protocols which included rapid testing for the audience and daily testing for himself and his team. His diligent testing enabled him to immediately respond by quarantining, thus mitigating the spread of the virus.”
29
Michael Strahan – Texas Southern University
Strahan is a former NFL defensive lineman turned talk show host who is currently a daily staple in many of in our homes via Good Morning America. Over the course of his long football career, Strahan became one of the league’s all-time QB sack leaders and in 2014 was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
30
FOX’s The Masked Singer Season Three – Gallery
Nick Cannon tested positive for coronavirus ahead of production on season 5 of The Masked Singer. As a result of his diagnosis, Niecy Nash has been tapped to fill in as guest host for at least the first few episodes of the Fox show. A rep for Cannon confirmed he’s quarantining and expected to return to the show later in the season.
31
Chucky Thompson
Legendary Hitmen producer Chucky Thompson passed away at the age of 53 on August 9 from complications due to COVID-19.
32
Drake
When a fan questioned the appearance of the rapper’s hairline and signature heart-shaped cutout, he revealed coronavirus was to blame for the hair loss. “I had Covid that s–t grew in weird,” he replied to the Instagram comment. “I had to start again,” he added. “It’s coming back don’t diss.”
33
Jim Jones
Dipset rapper Jim Jones revealed his battle with COVID on August 16. In an Instagram post, Jones encouraged people to mask up and use hand sanitizer, writing, “Super man is no match for covid.”
34
Rev. Jesse Jackson and Jacqueline Jackson
On August 21, it was reported that Rev. Jesse Jackson and his wife Jacqueline were hospitalized after testing positive for COVID-19. In a statement released by Jackson’s human and civil rights organization, the Rainbow PUSH Coalition, it was shared that the couple are currently at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago and that “Anyone who has been around either of them for the last five or six days should follow the CDC guidelines.”
35
Wendy Williams
On September 15, it was announced, via Instagram, that Wendy Williams had been diagnosed with COVID and the 13th season of her talk show would be pushed back to October 4 to allow her time to quarantine and recover.
36
Nas
Nas told Ebony in his October cover story that he was diagnosed with COVID last October. “This is the first time mentioning it. It was a tough time. It was mentally and physically hard.”
37
Chris Rock
On September 19, Chris Rock tweeted that he’d tested positive for coronavirus. “Hey guys I just found out I have COVID,” he wrote. “Trust me you don’t want this. Get vaccinated.” Earlier in 2021 the comedian revealed he received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
38
Smokey Robinson
Motown legend Smokey Robinson revealed he was struck with a serious case of COVID that caused him to be hospitalized in December of 2020. “It was over, man,” he told the Daily Mail. “They had to rush me to the hospital. I got it severely and I was hospitalized for 11 days, and four or five of those I do not even remember. It really was touch and go and a terribly debilitating ailment.”
39
Doja Cat
The pop-rap star had to drop out of the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour after she and several members of her camp tested positive for the virus.
40
Garcelle Beauvais
Filming was halted on Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, as Garcelle Beauvais returned a positive test when preparing to shoot.
41
Whoopi Goldberg
Joy Behar announced that her The View co-star Whoopi Goldberg tested positive for COVID-19 before Christmas on the talk show’s January 3 episode. She shared, “Whoopi unfortunately tested positive before the break, but she’ll probably be back next week. Since she’s vaccinated and boosted, her symptoms have been very, very mild.” As the show returns to a semi-remote format with hosts and guests broadcasting from different locations, Behar added, “We’re being very cautious here at The View.”
