【Netherlands】

You'd think by now that almost everybody,Netherlands regardless of how much they pay attention to the news, would be aware of the coronavirus pandemic.

But you'd be wrong.

A number of contestants of the long-running reality TV game show Big Brother— which sees a group of strangers living in a house together for weeks, isolated from the outside world — still haven't been told about the recent spread of COVID-19.

On Monday, Promi Big Brother (the version of the show that airs in Germany) announced that it will be informing contestants of the news during a live show, due to broadcast on Tuesday night. SAT.1, the channel that airs Promi Big Brother, said it reached the decision after consulting with contestants' families.

Although coronavirus was in the news when contestants entered the house on Feb. 6, it was nowhere near as widespread as it is now. Cases in Germany were still in the tens, while the numbers are now not far off 5,000.

Promi Big Brotherisn't the only version of the show to have left contestants in the dark, either. On Monday, a couple of days after a clip of Big Brother Canadahousemates discussing the lack of a live audience was shared on Twitter, the show released a statement to clarify that contestants have now been "provided a thorough update on the domestic and international status of COVID-19."

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"In addition to having been in isolation for more than three weeks, the production has a resident doctor who has assessed and determined that no houseguests have exhibited any signs or symptoms related to COVID-19," reads the statement. "In light of the extremely unique situation regarding COVID-19, the houseguests were each provided a letter from home and remain in the Big Brotherhouse at their own will."

COVID-19, the official name for the disease caused by coronavirus, has now infected over 170,000 people worldwide. More than 7,000 people have died.