The mayor of Quebec, Bruno Marchand, announced Tuesday that he was positive for COVID-19, just hours before the arrival of the pope in the capital. The chosen one, who must place himself in isolation, will therefore not be able to welcome the pontiff as it had been planned.
Posted at 2:10 p.m.
This was confirmed by the City of Quebec in a brief press release sent to the media on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Marchand will therefore continue “his activities remotely over the next few days”, indicates the municipal administration.
“In the context of the papal visit, the mayor will therefore not participate in the planned representation activities. Deputy Mayor, Ms.me Catherine Vallières-Roland, will take over, ”we insist. The City also specifies that the mayor’s contacts “having been limited for a few days already, no other elected official or no other person from the cabinet has to place themselves in isolation following this positive result”.
Recall that Bruno Marchand was to go to Jean-Lesage International Airport this Wednesday to welcome the Pope in person. The chosen one had to take a break from his vacation to attend the events surrounding his coming, including the high mass scheduled for Thursday in Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré. Experiencing only mild symptoms, the mayor would however be doing well.
This is the second Quebec elected official in two days to announce that he has contracted the COVID-19 virus. On Monday, the co-spokesperson for Québec solidaire, Manon Massé, also announced that she was infected.
“I was very lucky until now, but it’s my turn to have COVID. Don’t worry too much, I’ll take some rest in the next few days to heal myself and I’ll come back to you healthy! Take care of yourself,” M tweeted.me Mass.
Québec solidaire assured that it had “contacted the teams where Manon Massé went to Sherbrooke and Rimouski [le week-end dernier], so that they can contact the people present”. “Upcoming QS activities will only take place outdoors as a precautionary measure. It will not be Manon Massé but rather Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois who will be on the field this week,” confirmed the press attaché, Sandrine Bourque.