Prominent megachurch pastor and conservative activist John Hagee has been diagnosed with COVID-19, his son announced during services at the Texas church his father founded.
The 80-year-old pastor received the diagnosis Friday and was recovering after the illness was detected early, Matt Hagee said during Sunday morning services at Cornerstone Church in San Antonio
John Hagee founded a ministry that the church says now has 22,000 members. His sermons are broadcast throughout the United States and Canada and livestreamed online.
John Hagee has been a committed supporter of Israel, founding Christians United for Israel. He also is a stalwart backer of President Donald Trump who with first lady Melania Trump also has been diagnosed with COVID-19. Trump was discharged Monday from Walter Reed Military Medical Center and returned to the White House, where his doctors said he would continue receiving treatment.
On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tweeted that he was praying for a fast recovery for John Hagee.
“Israel has no better friend,” Netanyahu said.
For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and a cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia, and death.
F1 Reports Biggest Coronavirus Spike This Year Ahead of Russian Grand Prix
Formula One confirmed on Friday that it has recorded the sport’s biggest coronavirus spike this year as it prepares for the Russian Grand Prix, the 10th race of the season.
The sport said it had returned its highest number of positive Covid-19 test results, hours before welcoming a significant number of spectators to a race for the first time this year.
The F1 organisation and the sport’s ruling body the International Motoring Federation (FIA) said they had discovered seven cases of coronavirus following 3,256 tests between Sept. 18 and Sept. 24.
The tests are carried out every five days on the teams’ staff, drivers and all paddock and news media personnel.
This weekend’s event is the first major international sports event of the Covid-19 era to have a significant crowd of spectators after the Russian promoters claim to have sold 30,000 tickets for Sunday’s race in Sochi.
Seven of the ten teams are based in Britain where the number of reported cases of infection has risen rapidly in recent weeks.
There had been 44,000 tests carried out during the opening nine races, run in a sequence of three triple-headers and under serious protocol for behaviour in bubbles – with a total of nine positive results overall and not more than two in a single week.
The practice of operating strict bubbles and sub-bubbles and restricting movement under tight guidelines faces its biggest test of the season this weekend.
Russia confirmed 7,523 new cases of Covid-19 on Saturday, taking the overall total to 1,143,571.
