Inside Anderson Cooper's COVID-19 Diagnosis
Fans tuning into "Anderson Cooper 360" Monday, April 11 weren't greeted by the show's titular host. Instead, John Berman of CNN's "New Day" took the helm without sharing further information with viewers, according to Deadline.
Worried fans didn't have to wait long for an explanation. Cooper took to his Instagram stories to share with his 3.2 million followers that he had tested positive for COVID-19.
Anderson Cooper kept his message to fans about testing positive for COVID brief. "Just tested positive for COVID. Thankfully the kids are negative," he added in text over a photo of himself lying in bed. "Hope to get back to work soon." He has yet to share further information about his symptoms, and we'll have to wait and see when he's ready to get back on camera.
The CNN anchor has two children, Sebastian, 2, and Wyatt, 1, who he shares with his former partner Benjamin Maisani, according to Page Six.
Anderson Cooper is far from the first anchor to contract the virus
Cooper wasn't the first news anchor forced to take off work after a COVID diagnosis. In January 2021, "Good Morning America" cohosts Robin Roberts and Amy Robach caught the virus, per Entertainment Tonight. "Today" co-anchor Savannah Guthrie broadcasted from home after her own positive diagnosis in January 2022. Fox News anchor Neil Cavuto and CNN host Jim Cramer were among the many reporters who were temporarily downed by the virus. Cooper hasn't shared plans to anchor his show from home, but it's certainly possible he might take the option if he feels well enough.
New York, where Cooper lives, has experienced a recent uptick in COVID cases, The Hill notes. The BA.2 strain of the highly contagious Omicron variant has quickly spread throughout the country, becoming the primary variant. New York City Mayor Eric Adams tested positive for COVID on April 10, joining Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and First Gentleman Doug Emhoff on the list of major political figures who contracted the virus this spring.