Andrea Bocelli Confirms He Tested Positive for COVID-19

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Italian opera singer Andrea Bocelli has confirmed he was diagnosed with COVID-19 in March, but had a “swift and full recovery” before his hugely successful Easter Sunday webcast.

In a Facebook post shared on Tuesday, the opera singer explained he did not reveal his diagnosis earlier because he wanted to protect his family’s privacy and did not want to “unnecessarily alarm” his fans. He also shared he has donated blood to help researchers find a cure for coronavirus.

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“The pandemic which has shaken the world has also affected –– albeit mildly –– me and certain members of my family,” Bocelli’s statement read. “I certainly didn’t want to unnecessarily alarm my fans and also wished to protect my family’s privacy.”

“We were fortunate enough to have a swift and full recovery by the end of March,” the statement continued. “Given the chance to donate blood to help find a cure for Covid, my response was an immediate ‘yes.’ A modest — but fundamental — gesture, through which I am playing my small part.”

The singer first revealed his family had been sick with coronavirus during an interview published by the Wall Street Journal last week.

“I was able to be with my entire family and we all got infected. We had a fever, then we were cold, and then we got a little bit of a cough,” he said.

Bocelli, who has been blind since age 12, broke YouTube records last month on Easter Sunday with his “Music for Hope” concert. The performance was viewed by more than 28 million people worldwide in its first 24 hours and has currently been viewed more than 40 million times.

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