Madonna says she had coronavirus, but is 'not currently sick'
Addressing growing concerns over her health, pop icon Madonna said that she had the coronavirus towards the end of her Madame X Tour in Paris, which was eventually cut short due to the pandemic. However, the singer (61) added that she is "not currently sick". The clarification from Madonna comes days after she revealed that she had been diagnosed with COVID-19 antibodies.
Sharing a news article about her donation towards an initiative to discover COVID-19 vaccine, Madonna wrote, "Im Grateful that I can be a part of supporting Research to Find the cure for Covid -19!! (sic)" She then shared her health details "to clear things up for people who would rather believe sensationalist headlines than do their own research about the nature of this virus."
The popstar continued to write, "When you test positive for anti-bodies it means you HAD the virus which I clearly did as I was sick at the end of my tour in Paris over 7 weeks ago along with many other artists in my show. (sic)" However, at that time, she and her team thought it was a "very bad flu," she explained.
Madonna has reportedly donated $1.1 million (Rs. 8.34 crore) towards a fund organized by the European Union (EU), in order to find a vaccine for COVID-19, the European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen revealed.
Madonna raised eyebrows last week when she, in an Instagram video, claimed that she had tested positive for coronavirus antibodies. "Took a test the other day, and I found out that I have the antibodies," the singer said in the clip. She added that she planned to "go for a long drive in the car... to breathe in the COVID-19 air".
Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system to help the body fight against foreign particles such as viruses. However, US' Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that if someone has the antibodies, it does not necessarily mean they are immune to infection.
Concerns regarding the 61-year-old singer's health started accentuating after she attended a birthday party of her friend and photographer Steven Klein, days after revealing her antibodies diagnosis. In pictures that surfaced from the celebration, at least eight persons could be seen in close proximity. While most guests joined the party via video conferencing, Madonna decided to appear in-person. Friendship goals?
Earlier, Madonna stirred a major controversy for her comments on the COVID-19 pandemic when she called it "the great equalizer" while being filmed in a luxury bathtub filled with rose petals. In a pensive tone, the singer said, "It doesn't care about how rich you are, how famous you are, how funny you are...It's the great equalizer." After huge backlash, she deleted the video.
Other celebrities who have gone public about the coronavirus diagnosis include actor Tom Hanks and wife Rita Wilson, Idris Elba, Kristofer Hivju, and Rachel Matthews, among others. The pandemic has claimed the lives of 265,899 persons and infected more than 38 lakh, around the world.
