Every Black Celebrity Diagnosed With Coronavirus

By Essence ·August 18, 2021August 18, 2021

Y’all, the rumors aren’t true: Black people do get the novel coronavirus that continues to affect thousands of people worldwide. Over 450,000 Americans have died from it, and counting.

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 Monday that he, too, had COVID-19.

Since then, more NBA players have been diagnosed, including Brooklyn Nets player Kevin Durant. Below are those who have received this diagnosis thus far.

Loading the player... 01Idris ElbaIdris 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.

(Photo by Gregg DeGuire/WireImage) 02Kevin DurantKevin 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.

Getty Images 03Los Angeles LakersOn 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.

Copyright 2020 NBAE (Photo by Andrew D. Bernstein/NBAE via Getty Images) 04Rudy GobertRudy 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.”

05Donovan MitchellGobert’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.”

(Photo by Alex Goodlett/Getty Images) 06Marcus SmartBoston 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.

(Photo by Omar Rawlings/Getty Images) 07Christian WoodDetroit Pistons player Christian Wood has been diagnosed with COVID-19.

(Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) 08Sabrina DhowreDhowre tested positive for COVID-19 shortly after her husband, actor Idris Elba, confirmed he’d contracted the virus.

Photo by Dia Dipasupil/Getty Images 09Slim ThugRapper 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.”

10ScarfaceThe Houston rapper recently described his battle with the virus during an interview with fellow Geto Boys member Willie D.

Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images 11Brian Stokes MitchellThe 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.”

Photo by Santiago Felipe/Getty Images 12Ellis Marsalis, Jr.Sadly, the New Orleans jazz legend passed away at 85 due to complications from the coronavirus.

Photo by Monica Schipper/WireImage 13Bebe WinansBeBe 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.

(Photo by Amy Sussman/Getty Images) 14DJ Jazzy JeffDJ Jazzy Jeff revealed he had been diagnosed with pneumonia back in March, most likely linked to COVID-19.

(Photo by Josh Brasted/FilmMagic) 15BabyfaceBabyface 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.

Getty Images 16Deray MckessonDeray 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.

Getty Images 17Fred The GodsonIt was revealed in late April that the Bronx-born rapper had died after contracting COVID-19. He was only 35.

18Troy SneedGospel 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.

19Von MillerThe 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.

20Patrick EwingIn 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.

21Russell WestbrookThe 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”

22Peter ThomasFormer “RHOA” star Peter Thomas announced in an Instagram video on August 2 that he had contracted COVID-19.

23Trey 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.”

Getty 24Ben CarsonBen 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.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla 25Dave 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.”

26Michael Strahan – Texas Southern UniversityStrahan 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.

27FOX’s The Masked Singer Season Three – GalleryNick 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.

28DrakeWhen 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.”