The coronavirus that is spreading around the world has reached the highest levels of government, with several countries reporting that their top figures are now confirmed to be infected with the Covid-19 respiratory disease. The entertainment business and sporting circles have not been spared either, with many major celebrities, actors, singers and athletes testing positive as well. Some famed personalities have also put themselves in self-isolation after possible exposure to the virus. Here are some of the prominent figures affected.

PUBLIC FIGURES:

MALAYSIA'S KING & QUEEN

Malaysia's King and Queen were under quarantine on March 26, after seven staff from Istana Negara tested positive for coronavirus, the country's national news agency Bernama reported. Comptroller of the Royal Household Ahmad Fadli Shamsuddin said Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin and his wife Tuanku Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah have tested negative for the virus, but they decided to self-isolate for 14 days from March 25, said Mr Ahmad Fadli.

BRITISH ROYAL PRINCE CHARLES

The heir to the British throne has tested positive for the coronavirus, a spokesperson for the royal family said on March 25. Charles, 71, the eldest son of Queen Elizabeth II, had been having mild symptoms but has "otherwise remained in good health" and is working from home, according to a statement released by Clarence House, the prince's official residence. His wife Camilla, who tested negative for the virus, was self-isolating with Charles at their home in Scotland, it added.

PRINCE ALBERT II OF MONACO

The prince tested positive for Covid-19 and was being closely monitored by physicians and specialists, according a statement from his office on March 19. Prince Albert, 62, appeared to be the first head of state to announce that he had contracted the virus. The prince's health "poses no concern," his office said.

HARVARD PRESIDENT LAWRENCE S. BACOW

Harvard President Lawrence S. Bacow on March 24 said he and his wife had tested positive for coronavirus. "We started experiencing symptoms on Sunday-first coughs then fevers, chills, and muscle aches," he wrote in a message to the Harvard community. "Neither of us knows how we contracted the virus, but the good news-if there is any to be had-is that far fewer people crossed our paths recently than is usually the case. We began working from home and completely limiting our contact with others on March 14 in keeping with recommendations to adopt social distancing measures." Harvard University had two weeks earlier ordered students to move out of campus and moved all classes online.

JOHN BESSLER, HUSBAND OF US SENATOR AMY KLOBUCHAR

The University of Baltimore law professor and husband of Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, tested positive for the coronavirus, she said on March 23. Mr Bessler "has pneumonia and is on oxygen but not a ventilator," Ms Klobuchar wrote on Medium. "He is exhausted and sick but a very strong and resilient person." She added that he was "cut off from all visitors" but that she and their daughter were in communication with him.

ACTORS & CELEBRITIES:

HARVEY WEINSTEIN

The disgraced film producer who was convicted in February of rape and other sex crimes has contracted the coronavirus in prison, according to two people familiar with the matter. Mr Weinstein was being held in isolation at the Wende Correction Facility, east of Buffalo, according to the two people, who spoke anonymously to discuss a private medical matter. Mr. Weinstein is one of two inmates at the facility, and within New York State's prison system, who had tested positive for the virus as of March 22.

DANIEL DAE KIM

The actor, best known for his roles on the television shows "Lost" and "Hawaii Five-0," said in an Instagram post on March 19 that he had tested positive. Mr. Kim, 51, said that he was in New York shooting "New Amsterdam," an NBC medical drama in which he plays a doctor during a pandemic, when the coronavirus outbreak halted the production. He returned home to Hawaii, where he said he was tested at a drive-through facility.

IDRIS ELBA

The actor posted a video on social media on March 16 to announce that he had contracted the coronavirus. "Listen, I'm doing OK," he said in the video, appearing with his wife, Sabrina. "I didn't have any symptoms," he added. Mr Elba, who played Stringer Bell on "The Wire" and Heimdall in the "Avengers" and "Thor" movies, said he got tested because he had been exposed to someone who had tested positive. "So far, we're doing OK," said Mr Elba, 47.

KRISTOFER HIVJU

The "Games of Thrones" actor said in an Instagram post on March 16 that he had tested positive for the virus and that he, along with his family, was in isolation. "We are in good health - I only have mild symptoms of a cold," said Mr Hivju, 41. He urged people to take precautions and to distance themselves from others. "Together we can fight this virus and avert a crisis at our hospitals," he said.

OLGA KURYLENKO

The actress, perhaps best known for her role in the 2008 James Bond film "Quantum of Solace" and the "Magic City" television series, said on Instagram on March 15 that she had tested positive. "Fever and fatigue are my main symptoms," she wrote.

TOM HANKS & RITA WILSON

The Academy Award-winning actor and his wife, Ms Wilson, both 63, said in a statement on March 11 that they were in Australia and had the coronavirus. Mr Hanks was set to film a movie there about the life of Elvis Presley. "We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches," Mr. Hanks said in the statement. "Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers, too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive." Days later, their son Chet Hanks said in a video that they had been released from a hospital and were in self-isolation.

ATHLETES:

KEVIN DURANT

On March 17, the Brooklyn Nets announced that four of their players had tested positive for the coronavirus, but did not name them. Mr Durant, one of the biggest stars in the N.B.A., told The Athletic that he was one. "Everyone be careful, take care of yourself and quarantine," he said.

SEAN PAYTON

The New Orleans Saints coach told ESPN that he tested positive on March 19. Mr Payton said he did not experience fever as a symptom. "If people understand the curve, and understand the bump, we can easily work together as a country to reduce it," Mr Payton, 56, told ESPN. "Take a minute to understand what the experts are saying. It's not complicated to do what they're asking of us."

POLITICIANS & WORLD LEADERS:

BRITISH DEPUTY AMBASSADOR TO HUNGARY STEVEN DICK

Steven Dick, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Budapest, died after contracting the new coronavirus, the Foreign Office said on March 25. The 37-year-old diplomat died in Hungary on Tuesday. He had served as Deputy British Ambassador to Hungary since December, according to a biography published on the UK government's website.

SPANISH DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER CARMEN CALVO

Spain's Deputy Prime Minister Carmen Calvo tested positive for coronavirus, the Spanish government said on March 25. Ms Calvo was doing well and receiving treatment, the statement said.

US SENATOR RAND PAUL

Senator Rand Paul, Republican of Kentucky, became the first senator and the third member of Congress to test positive. Mr Paul "is asymptomatic and was tested out of an abundance of caution due to his extensive travel and events," his office said on Twitter on March 23, adding that he has since self-quarantined. His Washington office began operating remotely 10 days ago, the statement said, and "hence virtually no staff has had contact" with him. The statement did not say how long Mr Paul had been in quarantine.

MIAMI MAYOR FRANCIS SUAREZ

On March 13, the mayor of Miami confirmed that he had tested positive. Mr Suarez said he felt healthy and would remain in isolation while he governed the city remotely. In disclosing the diagnosis, Mr Suarez became one of the first US elected officials to announce he had the coronavirus. In his video updates, Mr Suarez, 42, described symptoms including congestion, aches and cold sweats. He said he self-quarantined after coming in close contact with a top adviser to President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil who later said he had the coronavirus.

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER JUSTIN TRUDEAU

Mr Trudeau, 48, isolated himself for two weeks after his wife, Sophie, tested positive on Thursday night (March 12) following her return from the UK. Mrs Trudeau was tested for the virus after she developed a low-grade fever that has since passed. Some members of Mr Trudeau's Cabinet were also isolated as a precaution.

AUSTRALIAN HOME AFFAIRS MINISTER PETER DUTTON

Mr Dutton, 49, confirmed on March 13 that he had tested positive for the Sars-Cov2 virus after waking up with a temperature and a sore throat and was admitted to the hospital. According to a spokesman, Mr Dutton had attended a meeting in Sydney on March 10 with Prime Minister Scott Morrison and other Cabinet members for a few hours.

ROMANIAN INTERIM PRIME MINISTER LUDOVIC ORBAN

Romanian interim prime minister Ludovic Orban, 56, said on March 13 that he and his entire Cabinet would quarantine themselves after coming into contact with a senator from his party who was later confirmed to have the coronavirus. Mr Orban and his ministers will all be tested for the virus.

BRAZILIAN PRESIDENT JAIR BOLSONARO

Mr Bolsonaro, 64, who met with President Donald Trump in the United States in early March, has tested negative for coronavirus, a post on his Facebook page said on March 13. He was tested for the virus after his communications secretary, Mr Fabio Wajngarten, was confirmed to be infected following a trip they took over a weekend to the US. During that trip, both Mr Wajngarten and Mr Bolsonaro met US President Donald Trump and Vice-President Mike Pence at Mr Trump's Florida resort.

US PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP AND VICE-PRESIDENT MIKE PENCE

Both Mr Trump, 73, and Mr Pence, 60, attended a dinner at the Florida meeting with the Brazilian delegation on March 7. Mr Trump was seen in one photograph standing directly next to Mr Wajngarten. The White House said both leaders had "almost no interactions" with Mr Wajngarten and that they "do not require being tested at this time".

PHILIPPINE PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

Mr Duterte, 74, tested negative for Covid-19, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go said on Friday (March 13). Duterte, and his longtime aide, Go, were tested for Covid-19 on March 12 after they attended on March 5 an event where a coronavirus-positive person attended. Both tested negative. At least six Cabinet ministers, 16 lawmakers, six Manila mayors and the central bank governor are now under self-quarantine as a precaution.

ALI AKBAR VELAYATI, TOP ADVISER TO IRAN'S SUPREME LEADER AYATOLLAH ALI KHAMENEI

Mr Velayati, 74, was placed under quarantine after experiencing "mild symptoms" of the new coronavirus, Iran's Tasnim news agency reported on March 12.

SPANISH EQUALITY MINISTER IRENE MONTERO, 32, AND SECOND DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER PABLO IGLESIAS, 41

Ms Montero, 32, said she had tested positive on March 11, three days after appearing at a mass march of some 120,000 people through Madrid for International Women's Day. She and her partner Pablo Iglesias, 41, have gone into quarantine while all government ministers have been tested for the virus.

BRITISH HEALTH MINISTER NADINE DORRIES

The 62-year-old junior health minister revealed on March 10 that she had been diagnosed with Covid-19 and is in self-isolation. She is reported to have met hundreds of people in Parliament in the past week and attended a reception with Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

FRENCH CULTURE MINISTER FRANCK RIESTER

Mr Riester, 46, said on March 9 he had tested positive for the virus after having flu-like symptoms. He attended a Cabinet meeting on March 4 that was chaired by President Emmanuel Macron and Parliament sessions last week, where at least five lawmakers have tested positive.

NICOLA ZINGARETTI, LEADER OF THE ITALIAN COALITION GOVERNMENT'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY

Mr Zingaretti, 54, said on March 7 he had tested positive for the coronavirus and is self-isolating at home. Some members of Italy's Parliament have also been quarantined.

FORMER NATO SECRETARY GENERAL JAVIER SOLANA

Former Nato secretary-general Javier Solana, 77, was admitted to hospital after testing positive for coronavirus, adding that his health was evolving positively and that he had been put under observation as a precaution. Solana, served as Nato secretary general from 1995-1999, European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs from 1999-2009 and was Spain's foreign minister under Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez form 1992-1995.

SOURCES: REUTERS, NYTIMES, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, XINHUA