The 'El Clavo' singer reveals his battle with the killer virus and urges his fans to take the Covid-19 pandemic seriously and wear masks to avoid falling sick.
- Jul 4, 2020
AceShowbiz - Latin pop star Prince Royce has warned fans face masks are a must to prevent the spread of the coronavirus after going public with his own COVID-19 crisis.
The "El Clavo" singer reveals he was struck down by the virus in late June (20) when he suffered a "really bad headache" in the middle of the night after spending the day relaxing by the pool in the Miami, Florida sun.
He woke up the next morning with a fever, which quickly passed, but the headache remained and prompted Royce to seek a coronavirus test "just to be responsible."
However, the musician was stunned when he received the positive result because he had spent three months in isolation following the initial outbreak in March (20) and had been taking added precautions - but it wasn't enough.
"I thought I was washing my hands," he told The Associated Press. "I thought I was wearing the mask, you know. And I think that for me it was just a wake-up call, like, I've been seeing this on TV every day, I'm on WhatsApp (instant messaging) groups with my family, I've been sending them stuff (information). I thought for sure like I wouldn't have gotten it cause I've been 'taking precautions.' "
Royce, who is mostly recovered, admits he was initially eager to keep his diagnosis under wraps until he realised how crucial it was to use his platform to educate others who may not be taking the risks as seriously as they had been earlier on in the pandemic.
"At first, I was very scared, like 'Nobody can find out, I shouldn't tell anybody.' But I felt that I have a duty to tell my communities, you know. I live in Florida, I'm from New York, I have a place in California. And I'm seeing what's happening across the country. I see what's happening in the world," Royce shared of the current coronavirus spikes heading into America's Independence Day holiday weekend (03-05Jul20).
The star, whose actress wife, Emeraude Toubia, did not fall ill, has no idea where he contracted the virus, although he suspects it may have happened during one of the few outings they have made to reopened eateries in recent weeks.
Now Royce is urging fans to be extra careful when out and about and always use a face mask. "It's so frustrating to me to see people at supermarkets without a mask. It's so frustrating to me to see that people are being irresponsible and not protecting others," he vented.
"Just because you're young doesn't mean that you're not gonna get it. I'm hoping that my story can educate the youth, the people that are trying to go out this weekend because of the holiday, the people that are going out to bars because things are open."
"Don't be selfish and make the same mistakes that I probably did," the 31 year old added.
He is the latest musician to overcome a battle with COVID-19 - Pink, Andrea Bocelli, Sara Bareilles, Bon Jovi's David Bryan, Placido Domingo, Jackson Browne, and rapper Slim Thug are also coronavirus survivors.
