While millions around the world have been infected with COVID-19, some global leaders were doubtful of the power of the virus at the onset of widespread outbreaks.
President John Magufuli
Tanzania stopped reporting its COVID-19 infection and death toll in May, leaving the world with a huge question: has the reported 509 case count increased since then?
When news of the novel coronavirus first rocked the world to its core, Tanzania's president John Magufuli said the virus "will burn instantly" as it "cannot survive in the body of Christ."
Magufuli is known for being a devout Christian. He asked the Tanzanian people to get down on their knees in religious facilities and pray. He was also against wearing face masks and proper social distancing.
Aside from getting animals and a papaya to be tested for COVID-19, Magufuli said the country was "coronavirus-free" in June.
The first confirmed coronavirus case was reported in Tanzania on March 16 and the last report was released on April 29, with a total of 509 cases in the country. The World Health Organization (WHO) has since accused the government of being slow in responding to the crisis.
Since the first case was reported, Tanzania only shut down schools and other related learning institutions. Borders remained open, sporting events pushed through, and mass gatherings were not banned.
As of writing, Tanzania has yet to resume reporting its COVID-19 infection and death count.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has been in a lot of headlines over the past months as his government continues to be questioned for its management of the country's COVID-19 crisis.
There have been questions about Johnson's seemingly confusing messages since the pandemic started, as he was among the global leaders whose administrations slowly responded to the situation.
Johnson tested COVID-19 positive late in March and was hospitalized for about a week before he recovered. He was also at the intensive care unit (ICU) for three days during his hospitalization.
Before he contracted the virus, Johnson insisted that lockdowns were not necessary in Britain. Once he returned to office in April, he appeared to be more cautious of his statements about the novel coronavirus.
However, the increasing number of cases in the UK as it is faced with the second wave of COVID-19 cases has once again put Johnson in the hot seat.
President Jair Bolsonaro
Brazil used to be the second hardest-hit country in the world and the epicenter of Latin America's coronavirus battle. Weeks after India passed Brazil in confirmed COVID-19 cases, Brazilian president Jair Bolsonaro regained popularity.
Most of the popularity that Bolsonaro gained over the last few weeks is thanks to the monthly emergency aid payments the government started handing out to single mothers in April.
The latest rating on the Bolsonaro administration reached 40 percent this week. However, the rest of the world has not forgotten how the Brazilian leader, who called COVID-19 a "little flu" earlier this year, was also infected by the same virus he doubted.
Bolsonaro caught the virus in July, after he was spotted flouting the use of face masks multiple times and shaking hands with or hugging people in his public appearances.
After recovering from the novel coronavirus, Bolsonaro continued his bout with local governments that opted to implement COVID-19 restrictions to curb further infections.
As of Wednesday, Brazil has logged over 5.3 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 154,000 deaths linked to the fast-spreading disease.
President Donald Trump
In what could be the fastest known recovery of a COVID-19-infected patient, United States president Donald Trump stood at the balcony of the White House just three days after he was hospitalized due to the virus.
There have been many questions about his quick discharge and how long he has had the disease as he has been spotted without a mask multiple times since January, and he has also spent time with people who were infected with the virus.
Before contracting COVID-19, Trump was criticized for rejecting the advice of infectious disease experts. When the first confirmed case was reported in Washington state in January, Trump said "we have it totally under control."
In February, Trump said the novel coronavirus will disappear "like a miracle." A month later, he compared the virus to the "common flu" in a Twitter post, two days before the WHO officially labelled COVID-19 a pandemic.
As of Wednesday, the U.S. has logged over 8.4 million confirmed coronavirus cases and over 222,000 deaths. It remains the hardest-hit country in the world.
