news

Tom Hanks and his wife Rita are in Australia. They just tested positive for coronavirus.

Tom Hanks, 63, and his wife, Rita Wilson, also 63, announced this afternoon that they have both been diagnosed with the coronavirus.

The actor posted to Instagram just after midday, with the caption:

“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!”

ADVERTISEMENT

Hanks and Wilson, both actors and producers, were in Australia for the pre-production of Baz Luhrmann’s untitled Elvis Presley film from Warner Bros.

Warner Bros has released the following statement:

“We have been made aware that a company member from our Elvis feature film, which is currently in pre-production in The Gold Coast, Australia, has tested positive for COVID-19 (coronavirus). 

We are working closely with the appropriate Australian health agencies to identify and contact anyone who may have come in direct contact with the individual.  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.

The individual who tested positive for COVID-19 is currently receiving treatment.”

tom hanks family
Samantha Bryant, Colin Hanks, Rita Wilson, Tom Hanks, Elizabeth Ann Hanks, Chet Hanks and Truman Theodore Hanks photographed on the red carpet of the 77th Annual Golden Globe Awards at The Beverly Hilton Hotel on January 05, 2020 in Beverly Hills, California.
ADVERTISEMENT

Hanks and Wilson are in hospital on the Gold Coast, and are two of the 127 Australians who have been diagnosed with coronavirus.

How to protect yourself from COVID-19. Post continues below. 

Video by WHO

Four days before Wilson's diagnosis, she appeared as a guest on Nine's Today Extra program alongside hosts David Campbell and Belinda Russell.

ADVERTISEMENT

Speaking to Deborah Knight on 2GB following the news of Wilson and Hanks' illness, Campbell said that when she arrived in the studio on Monday, Wilson made a joke saying "we shouldn't shake hands".

Instead, she suggested they "bump elbows", which Campbell said they did.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

Hey @ritawilson thanks for coming on our show and singing!

A post shared by David Campbell (@davidcampbell73) on

ADVERTISEMENT

 

Wilson has made a number of public appearances in the last two weeks, including at the Sydney Opera House on March 7, and the Emporium Hotel in Brisbane's South Bank on March 5.

It is unknown whether Wilson was contagious at the time.

Queensland currently has 20 other confirmed cases of coronavirus, with more than 3000 people in self-isolation.

So far, Australia's death toll sits at three.

This comes as US President Donald Trump suspends travel from Europe to the US in an effort to slow down the spread of the coronavirus.

The measure will be in place for the next 30 days.

The National Basketball Association (NBA) has also today suspended its 2019-20 season after a Utah Jazz player tested positive for the virus.

Listen to The Quicky, Mamamia's daily news podcast. Post continues below.

Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson

Hanks and Wilson have been married 32 years and share two children together, 29-year-old Chet Hanks and 24-year-old Truman Hanks.

Hanks also has two children from a previous marriage with Samantha Lewes.

His eldest child, 42-year-old Colin Hanks is also an actor, starring in films such as Orange County, King Kong and the Jumanji film series. Elizabeth Ann Hanks is 37 years old, and also an actress.