‘Dancing With the Stars’ Judge Carrie Ann Inaba Reveals She Tested Positive for Coronavirus: ‘You Don’t Want This’

Carrie Ann Inaba has tested positive for the coronavirus. The Dancing With the Stars judge confirmed her diagnosis Thursday on her Instagram Story, revealing that she is remaining at home as she battles the virus. She also explained she is experiencing symptoms including fever, a “bad cough,” and aches and pains.

Sharing in a video that she wanted to let fans know “I just tested positive for COVID-19,” Inaba said she is “home” and “following all the guidelines.” Inaba explained that she has since spoken to her representative and that her symptoms include “a fever and bad cough and lots of aches and pains.” The DWTS judge took the opportunity to remind her followers to take the ongoing pandemic seriously, urging them to follow recommendations put forth by health professionals, such as practicing social distancing and wearing face masks.

“I just wanted to remind you all to stay vigilant, because I’m following all the protocols and we have so many strict protocols in place and even then I caught it,” Inaba said, her words interrupted by coughing. “So just friendly reminder to stay vigilant and take care of yourself. Wear your masks, please, and wash your hands a lot. And be extra, extra careful because you don’t want this. I’m gonna take good care of myself so you don’t worry about me. Take care. Be safe.”

Inaba did not specify when she tested positive for the virus or began experiencing symptoms, and it is unclear when or where she may have contracted it. Her Thursday announcement came just two weeks after Season 29 of Dancing With the Stars crowned former Bachelorette Kaitlyn Bristowe and her pro dancing partner Artem Chigvintsev winners during the season finale. Inaba had judged the newest round of competitions alongside fellow judges Bruno Tonioli and Derek Hough, though amid the competition she suffered a bout of sickness. Just ahead of the semifinals, Inaba revealed she worked with some of the professional dancers and their celebrity partners “via video chat because I had the flu last week and didn’t want anyone to get sick.”

Season 29 of the ABC competition looked a bit different than seasons’ past due to the pandemic. Although the series still aired live, rather than moving to a pre-recorded format, the dancing duos were not cheered on by an in-studio audience, marking the first time the series went without a live audience. A band, backup dancers, and big set pieces were also eliminated from the season to limit the number of people involved with production. Three judges, meanwhile, remained at the singular judge’s table, though the desk grew in length to ensure the judges could properly follow social distancing guidelines.