Award-winning actor Tom Hanks has just tested Positive for COVID-19, together with wife Rita Wilson.
The couple were in Australia for pre-filming of Baz Luhrmann’s film on Elvis Presley, in which the actor plays Presley’s manager Colonel Tom Parker.
Tom Hanks contracts COVID-19, together with wife Rita Wilson
Hanks took to Instagram to post about testing positive for COVID-19 and reports that he was feeling tired and presented symptoms of a cold and mild body aches. He also stated that they are in isolation "for as long as public health and safety requires."
“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!" he wrote.
The two-time Oscar-winner and wife are both 63.
Warner Bros. working with Aussie health agencies in contact tracing
It has been reported that filming for the new movie was taking place at Warner Bros Studio, where someone in the line of production was also diagnosed with coronavirus. News of the infection was reported early today, and filming has been suspended for two weeks.
Warner Bros. noted in a statement to the public that they are working with Australian health authorities towards contact tracing "to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual."
"The health and safety of our company members are always our top priority, and we are taking precautions to protect everyone who works on our productions around the world," the Studio stated.
The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently receiving treatment.
Hanks and Wife travelled a lot prior to diagnosis
Meanwhile, it is reported that the couple had been engaged in "extensive air travel recently, including two recent trips home to the US in the past three months."
This includes a trip to Sydney last week where Wilson performed at a show at the Sydney Opera House on Saturday night.
The stay at Sydney also came with Wilson making several appearances on television to promote the above-mentioned performance.
COVID-19 outbreak 'a pandemic': WHO chief
The World Health Organization declared COVID-19 a global pandemic on Wednesday (11 March).
In a media briefing, WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said: "WHO has been assessing this outbreak around the clock and we are deeply concerned both by the alarming levels of spread and severity, and by the alarming levels of inaction."
"We have therefore made the assessment that COVID-19 can be characterised as a pandemic."
Despite this, he emphasized that the WHO's strategy has not faltered. "Describing the situation as a pandemic does not change WHO's assessment of the threat posed by the virus," he said. "It doesn't change what WHO is doing, and it doesn't change what countries should do," he added.
According to WHO, more than 90% of coronavirus cases are in just four countries — and two of those, China and South Korea, have "significantly declining epidemics," while almost 60 countries have reported 10 cases or less.
As of 12 March, the total number of COVID-19 cases reported in Singapore is at 178. 96 cases have so far recovered and have been discharged while 82 remain in hospital. Of this, 9 are in critical condition.