In quarantine, PM Justin Trudeau telegoverns Canada

Justin Trudeau's wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for coronavirus after returning from Britain.

In quarantine, Justin Trudeau telegoverns Canada

Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau works from his home office during his self-quarantine after his wife Sophie Gregoire tested positive for novel coronavirus (COVID-19). (Ella-Grace Trudeau/Prime Minister’s Office via Reuters).

After his wife tested positive for the novel coronavirus, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau governed remotely from his home in self-imposed quarantine while the country shut down Parliament and advised against all non-essential travel outside the country.

Trudeau’s wife, Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, tested positive for coronavirus after returning from Britain. He said his wife has mild flu-like symptoms but was doing fine, adding that neither he nor their three children are showing symptoms.

Trudeau spent Friday in briefings, phone calls and virtual meetings from home, including speaking with other world leaders and joining a special Cabinet committee discussion on the coronavirus, the Associated Press reported.

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AFP reported Trudeau as saying that telegoverning “is an inconvenience and somewhat frustrating. We’re all social beings after all, but we have to do this.”

The Prime Minister has remained in contact with his cabinet and officials, unveiling a slew of measures and money to combat the spread of coronavirus. He also made phone calls to Emmanuel Macron, Donald Trump, Giuseppe Conte, Canadian provincial and territorial leaders.

The Canadian government is advising the cancellation of all large events and overseas flights returning to Canada will be restricted to a small number of airports in the country. Canada’s House of Commons voted to shut down for at least 5 weeks to help ensure lawmakers do not contribute to the spread of the virus.