Singer Prince Royce Tests Positive for Coronavirus and Begs Fans to Stay Home: 'Don't Be Selfish'

Prince Royce has tested positive for the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).

The "Back It Up" singer, 31, opened up about his diagnosis in a video on Friday, revealing that he tested positive for COVID-19 almost two weeks ago even though he was taking precautions against the respiratory disease.

"This is something I never thought would happen to me, but it did," he said, speaking both English and Spanish in the clip. "It's something that, I'm in shock. I didn't think it was going to happen to me."

"I thought that taking precaution by washing my hands and wearing a mask was going to be enough, and it was not," he continued.

The "Stuck on a Feeling" hitmaker — born Geoffrey Royce Rojas — added that he was fortunate enough to only experience mild symptoms.

"It didn't hit me as hard," he said of the virus. "I'm feeling better now. I'm hoping to come out negative in the next week or so."

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Royce also used his video to urge fans to be careful this upcoming Fourth of July weekend and expressed his concerns in "seeing people not practicing social distancing, seeing people not wearing a mask" amid the rising toll of coronavirus cases in the United States.

"I'm concerned for people that do have pre-existing conditions and low immune systems. We just don't know what's going on," he said, adding that "this is real and starts also with the youth."

"A lot of people going out, and I just wish that we could, you know, if you don't have to go out, don't go out. Let's protect our families. Let's protect our parents, and let's be mindful of other people."

Speaking to the Associated Press, the singer said at first he wanted to hide his diagnosis but realized its his duty to help his fans and to tell them not to do what he did — go out just because things are open.

"I was home this whole time, and I went out to some restaurants because things opened, and I thought, 'Well, Florida hasn’t been so bad, and New York is the one with the problem.’ I fell for that and I think many people can fall for that and will fall for that,” he told the AP.

“Don’t be selfish and make the same mistakes that I probably did.”

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The musician also expanded on his concerns in a caption on Instagram, writing, "I was diagnosed with COVID-19 and I am on day number 12 since my symptoms began. My case has been mild and I am feeling well. I share this with you today to ask you please not let down your guard - this virus is very real and we can have it and spread it without even knowing."

"I didn’t think I had it as I didn’t feel that bad and had I not gotten tested I would be spreading it to others," he added. "This holiday weekend please maintain social distancing, use masks, if you don’t have to leave home to work or get together with others, don’t do it."

He concluded his message with a note to young people, saying that "this is more than just about taking care of ourselves, it is about taking care of others, older people and those with compromised immune systems."

"Please let’s take this seriously and act responsibly and with compassion. Let’s all take care of each other."

As of Friday, there have been more than 2,758,800 confirmed cases of COVID-19 in the United States, with at least 128,800 deaths from coronavirus-related illness, according to the New York Times.

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