Usain Bolt, the eight-time Olympic gold medalist, is self-isolating at his home in Jamaica after testing positive for COVID-19, the infection caused by the novel coronavirus.
Last week, he celebrated his 34th birthday with a big mask-free bash.
On Monday, Jamaica’s health ministry confirmed that Bolt had tested positive for coronavirus after he posted a video on social media saying he was waiting for his results.
Bolt, who holds world records in the 100m and 200m distance, said in a message. “Just to be safe I quarantined myself and just taking it easy,” captioning, “Stay safe my ppl.”
He said he did not have any coronavirus symptoms, the respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2.
Bolt took the test on Saturday, the day after he celebrated his birthday.
“Best birthday ever,” he wrote on Instagram, posting a photo of himself holding his daughter, Olympia.
Fans took to social media to wish Bolt a speedy recovery. One wrote, “Drink up your ginger tea.” However, some fans have accused him of carelessness.
In Jamaica, daily confirmed cases have surged to over 60 per day over the past four days. The island in the West Indies now has more than 1,600 confirmed cases, with over 620 active cases and 16 deaths from coronavirus.
Jamaican health officials blamed the reopening of international borders and celebrations over a long weekend in August – marking Independence Day and Emancipation Day.
They also blamed people who are refusing to wear facemasks and practice social distancing.
The surge in new cases in Jamaica has raised concerns over national elections that Jamaican PM Andrew Holness called for in September, six months ahead of schedule.
On Sunday, Holness suspended all his campaigning activities, including home visits, motorcades, and rallies. He asked other parties to do the same. The officials have also delayed the reopening of schools for a month, while the citizens are under a national curfew from 7 pm to 5 am.
