Angelle De Leon
Hollywood star Tom Hanks and his wife, Rita Wilson, have tested positive for the 2019 novel coronavirus or COVID-19 while in Australia.
“We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too,” the actor said on his Instagram on Wednesday, March 11.
“To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive,” he added.
The couple, both 63, is currently in Australia, as the actor is set to film a movie about the life of Elvis Presley.
Hanks said he and his wife “will be tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires.”
“The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed,” the actor wrote as a caption to his uploaded photo of a lone medical glove in a hazardous waste container.
“Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no? We’ll keep the world posted and updated. Take care of yourselves!” he added.
The news came on the same day the World Health Organization (WHO) declared COVID-19 to be a pandemic.
Hanks, a two-time Oscar winner for films Philadelphia and Forrest Gump, is by far the most prominent entertainment figure to say he has the virus.
By going public with the information, he instantly becomes the face of an outbreak that has hit the world.
The couple’s son Chet later posted a video on Twitter, saying he had spoken to his parents and that they were doing fine.
#ChetHanks thanks everyone for their thoughts and prayers as his parents (#TomHamks & #RitaWilson) have announced they’ve tested positive for #coronavirus. pic.twitter.com/NIcalSS9m4
— Popfuzion TV (@PopFuzionTV) March 12, 2020
Other famous personalities have immediately expressed wishes for the Hanks to get well from the illness.
“Wishing two of the kindest, coolest, most talented people in the world @tomhanks & @RitaWilson a swift recovery.”
Wishing two of the kindest, coolest, most talented people in the world @tomhanks & @RitaWilson a swift recovery. #Coronavirus – https://t.co/WCxKTyjzLW
— Mia Farrow (@MiaFarrow) March 12, 2020
“Wishing you both a speedy recovery, and sending lots of love.”
Wishing you both a speedy recovery, and sending lots of love.
— Ellen DeGeneres (@TheEllenShow) March 12, 2020
“Nice to see some actual leadership tonight. Hope you’re on the mend soon.”
Nice to see some actual leadership tonight. Hope you're on the mend soon.
— Kevin M. Kruse (@KevinMKruse) March 12, 2020
“Feel better, boss! All the best to you and Rita.”
Feel better, boss! All the best to you and Rita.
— donal logue (@donallogue) March 12, 2020
“Sending you prayer and well wishes, dear Tom and Rita!”
Sending you prayer and well wishes, dear Tom and Rita!
— Jenny Han (@jennyhan) March 12, 2020
COVID-19 has infected more than 120,000 people worldwide and killed at least 4,300, as of Wednesday afternoon.
So far, more than 66,000 of those infected have recovered.
