Donald Trump is far from the first world leader to contract the coronavirus.
But he is among a small list of right-wing "strongmen" who initially downplayed the virus and openly flouted social distancing rules before falling ill.
The similarities between Mr Trump, Brazil's Jair Bolsonaro and UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson don't end with their personal infections.
The countries they lead also share a number of common traits when looking at the trajectory of the pandemic, such as high infection rates and huge numbers of deaths.
Donald Trump
Since the virus first broke out in the United States in January, Donald Trump has repeatedly sought to downplay its severity.
The president has dismissed masks as ineffective, refusing to wear them or implement social distancing during his rallies, and has firmly advocated for reopening the economy despite the growing health crisis.
Mr Trump has also peddled false and misleading information. During a press conference in April, he made global headlines and sparked an outcry after suggesting that injecting disinfectants could cure the virus.
He has also claimed, without evidence, that the virus will one day “just disappear”, and has touted the drug hydroxychloroquine as a cure - despite inconclusive scientific results.
Since April, the United States has maintained the world’s highest number of infections and deaths, with more than 7.4 million infections and 209,725 fatalities at present, according to Johns Hopkins University figures.
Mr Trump announced on 2 October that he had tested positive for the virus.
He posted a video the following day from the business suite in the hospital, saying he was improving and would be "back soon".
The President also said he has acquired a deeper understanding of the virus as a result of having had it.
In a separate video, Mr Trump said he "learned a lot about COVID" by "really going to school" as he has battled the virus in hospital.
"This is the real school. This isn't the 'let's read the books school', and I get it, and I understand it, and it's a very interesting thing," he said.
However, Mr Trump has also downplayed the risks of the virus since his infection.
He emerged from the hospital's front doors at 6.40pm on Monday, local time, and boarded a helicopter to the White House lawn.
When he reached the White House balcony, he removed his face mask before the cameras, and later posted a video update without wearing a mask in which he suggested he could be "immune".
"Don't let it dominate you. Don't be afraid of it," he said. "You're gonna beat it. We have the best medical equipment, we have the best medicines, all developed recently. And you're gonna beat it.
"I went, I didn't feel so good, and two days ago, I could have left two days ago, two days ago I felt great, like better than I have in a long time. I said just recently, better than 20 years ago."
Boris Johnson
In early March British Prime Minister Boris Johnson tried to downplay the gravity of the virus, even as it swept through Britain.
On a visit to a hospital where infected patients were being treated, he stressed that he would not stop shaking hands with people.
Just weeks later, on 27 March, he announced he had tested positive.
On 5 April, Mr Johnson was rushed to St Thomas’ Hospital in London for further testing as his symptoms worsened, before eventually being moved to the hospital’s intensive care unit.
Mr Johnson was in intensive care for several days, before returning to Chequers - the home of his official residence - to recuperate on 12 April. He returned to Downing Street on 26 April.
After being released from the hospital, he credited Britain’s National Health Service for having “saved my life, no question".
Prior to his Mr Johnson’s infection, the pandemic was taking a serious toll on the United Kingdom. He didn’t formally announce the lockdown until 23 March - one of the last European countries to go into a full lockdown.
But after his infection, Mr Johnson appeared to take a firmer and more cautious stance against the virus. After he went back to work, lockdown measures were extended from April until June.
Mr Johnson warned that lifting restrictions too soon would result in “not only a new wave of death and disease but also an economic disaster.”
In June, as the country went into summer, non-essential shops including pubs and restaurants began to reopen. But in early September cases were shown to be rising again, prompting the Johnson government to introduce strict new social distancing rules that came into effect on 14 September.
Britain is currently the worst-hit country in Europe, with more than 500,000 confirmed cases and more than 42,000 deaths according to Johns Hopkins University figures.
Jair Bolsonaro
The virus first reached Brazil on 25 February, and by 21 March had spread to every state in the country.
In May, the World Health Organisation declared South America the “new epicentre” of the pandemic.
Peru, Chile and Argentina were dealing with soaring cases, but Brazil was by far the hardest-hit.
Throughout the pandemic, the country’s far-right President Jair Bolsonaro has dismissed the risks of COVID-19, infamously comparing the virus to “a little flu” and opposing lockdown measures in favour of preserving the country’s economy.
He attended political rallies, refused to maintain a distance from people under World Health Organisation guidelines, and did not wear a facemask.
Mr Bolsonaro pinned his hopes on the anti-malaria drugs chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine, which have shown inconclusive results against the virus.
On 7 July, Mr Bolsonaro tested positive for the virus. He was hospitalised, but his case appears to have been mild and he recovered relatively quickly.
After subsequently testing negative, Mr Bolsonaro posted a photo of himself on Twitter brandishing a box of hydroxychloroquine pills.
His wife, First Lady Michelle Bolsonaro, and his eldest son Senator Flavio Bolsonaro subsequently tested positive, as did the president’s Chief of Staff General Braga Netto.
Like Mr Trump, Mr Bolsonaro also removed his mask after announcing his positive diagnosis to reporters.
Jair Bolsonaro said he had "mould on his lungs" after testing positive for the coronavirus. Source: AP
“Just look at my face. I’m well, fine, thank God," he then said. "Thanks to all those who have been praying for me … and to those who criticise me... carry on criticising as much as you like.”
Mr Bolsonaro continued to criticise lockdown measures, argued that most people who contract the virus “don’t notice a thing” - although he did note after his 20-day isolation period that he had “mould on his lungs”.
Despite this, he continued his push for the economy to remain open.
But the Brazilian leader has since been photographed wearing masks out in public more frequently, despite mocking those who wore them prior to his infection.
He has also agreed to pay an emergency income supplement to the poor of around $AU147 per month, which now reaches more than 30 per cent of the country’s population.
The administration will continue the payment at half of its original value through to the end of the year.
