Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson on the red carpet.
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Actors Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson have tested positive for the coronavirus. They let fans know via Instagram on Wednesday, the same day the World Health Organization declared the illness a pandemic.
“Rita and I are down here in Australia,” Hanks posted on his Instagram, where he has 6.6 million followers. “We felt a bit tired, like we had colds, and some body aches. Rita had some chills that came and went. Slight fevers too. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the coronavirus, and were found to be positive.”
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Hello, folks. Rita and I are down here 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. To play things right, as is needed in the world right now, we were tested for the Coronavirus, and were found to be positive. Well, now. What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed, and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. 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! Hanx!
Hanks confirmed that he and his wife will be self-isolating until they are told otherwise, though the actor remains positive.
“What to do next? The Medical Officials have protocols that must be followed. We Hanks’ will be tested, observed and isolated for as long as public health and safety requires. Not much more to it than a one-day-at-a-time approach, no? We’ll keep the world posted and updated.”
Hanks is in Australia to to film a movie about the life of Elvis Presley. He’s playing the role of Presley’s manager, Colonel Tom Parker. Production on the film, directed by Baz Luhrmann, was set to begin on Monday, but will likely be postponed.
“The health and safety of our company members is always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world,” Warner Bros. said in a statement, according to The New York Times.
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As of this writing, there are more than 125,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus worldwide, and more than 4,600 deaths. Australia has 128 confirmed cases, while the US has 1,220.
The illness has led to the cancellation of a wide range of events, from tech gatherings like Mobile World Congress to cultural like SXSW and Coachella. On Wednesday, the NBA announced it would suspend the season after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the virus.